A behavioral and neural investigation of young children's attention and comprehension on interactive video viewing platforms

Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University (Virginia Tech) received a $150,803 Project Grant from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) under the Child Health and Human Development Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.865) for a two-year study running from September 1, 2025, through August 31, 2027. The award supports a developmental cognitive neuroscience investigation examining how rapid video-switching—a feature prevalent on platforms like YouTube—affects young children's attention and comprehension. The research will employ a within-subject experimental design using a custom-built platform that simulates YouTube to measure sustained and selective attention in three-year-old children through dual methodologies: electroencephalography (EEG) for neural-level measurement and eye-tracking for behavioral assessment.

The study will deliver critical empirical evidence addressing three primary research aims: assessing the impact of video-switching on attention, examining its effects on comprehension, and investigating associations between switching behaviors in naturalistic and controlled settings. The research directly addresses gaps in understanding how media design features influence early cognitive development and will provide evidence-based findings to inform evidence-based guidelines for healthy media use in early childhood—a significant public health priority given the widespread shift in children's media consumption toward interactive video platforms.

Abstract

As children's media consumption shifts to platforms like youtube, young children are increasingly exposed to rapid video-switching, a feature that may disrupt attention and learning. This developmental cognitive neuroscience study will investigate how video-switching affects young children's attention and comprehension. Using a within-subject experimental design, we will manipulate two viewing conditions-switching and non- switching-on a custom-built platform that simulates youtube. Three-year-old children will watch educational videos while their sustained and selective attention are measured at both neural and behavioral levels using EEG and eye-tracking. After viewing, we will assess children's comprehension. Additionally, we will analyze switching behaviors in both naturalistic and controlled settings to test potential associations. Our study addresses a significant GAP in understanding how media design features, specifically video-switching, impact early cognitive development. Given the urgent need to evaluate the effects of these features on young children, our research will provide critical evidence to inform guidelines for healthy media use in early childhood. Specifically, we will address three aims: 1) assess the impact of video-switching on attention, 2) examine its effects on comprehension, and 3) investigates associations between switching behaviors in naturalistic and experimental settings.