https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2301-2333
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Abstract
Objectives: To examine college students’ conflicting COVID-19 information exposure, information-seeking, concern, and cognitive functioning. Participants: 179 undergraduates were recruited in March-April 2020, and 220 in September 2020 (Samples 1 and 2, respectively). Methods: Students completed the Attention Network Test, NASA Task Load Index, and COVID-related questions. Results: In Sample 1, exposure to conflicting information predicted poorer attentional performance and greater COVID-related information-seeking and concern; concern was correlated with workload. In Sample 2, conflicting information was associated with information-seeking. In Sample 1, but not Sample 2, cognitive effects of conflicting information were mediated by information-seeking and virus-related concern. Conclusions: Conflicting COVID-19 information may undermine students’ cognitive functions, bearing implications for health, academic performance, and stress. Strategies for countering these effects include enhancing the clarity of institutional messaging, and tailoring course curricula and offering workshops to students, faculty, administrators, and counseling staff to augment students’ capacity to comprehend and utilize COVID-related communications.
Conflict of interest disclosure
The authors report there are no competing interests to declare. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of the United States of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
Notes
1 * Means and Standard Deviations are reported here in untransformed units for ease of interpretation.