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Behavioral Sciences
Does the Brain Drain Effect Really Exist? A Meta-Analysis
Research summary
A PRISMA-guided meta-analysis of 22 studies and 43 effects found a small overall negative relationship between smartphone presence or use and cognitive performance, with substantial differences by cognitive domain and region.
Evidence strengths
- PRISMA-guided synthesis
- Domain and region subgroup analyses
Limitations
- Substantial heterogeneity
- Relatively small evidence base
Topics
- Cognitive Science
- Memory
- Human-AI Interaction
Connected claims
- Qualifies
Smartphone presence or use has a small negative average association with cognitive performance, but the effect varies substantially by domain and context.
The pooled effect was small and heterogeneous, so a universal brain-drain interpretation is not supported.