Short-Form Videos and Attention Span in College Students
Keywords:
Short-form video platforms, Attention span, Academic performance,, Sustained attention,, Critical thinking,, Screen timeAbstract
The rapid rise of short-form video platforms such as Facebook Reels, YouTube Shorts, and Instagram Reels has generated increasing concern about their influence on the cognitive abilities and academic performance of university students. As people watch more short, exciting videos—often for more than one to two hours a day—researchers are starting to look at how this phenomenon affects attention span, critical thinking, and the ability to stay focused on tasks. Current studies show that using short-form videos for a long time is linked to poorer academic results, meaning that watching these fast-paced videos a lot can make it harder to pay attention, process information, and remember things. The way these platforms are designed to keep users hooked may make it harder for people to focus on long-term academic work, as they tend to pay more attention to quick, exciting content instead. Given the competitive academic environments students navigate, understanding the mechanisms underlying these cognitive shifts is essential. This paper therefore investigates the multifaceted relationship between short‑form video consumption and attention spans among college students, exploring both direct cognitive effects and broader implications for academic engagement and performance.
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