Échelle de cognition numérique (NUMERICOG)

Introduction

The development of digital technologies raises the question of their impact on our neurocognitive abilities. To answer this question requires first to identify the cognitive functions that individuals attempt to support by using digital technologies.

Objective

The objective was to develop a psychometric tool, the Digital Cognition Scale NUMERICOG, allowing us to identify these cognitive functions.

Methods

We followed a four-step method. First, we conducted a survey (Step 1) to collect spontaneous uses of digital technologies (n = 160), allowing us to generate 94 items that we have subsequently sorted (Step 2) to produce a 24-item scale (n = 392). The psychometric qualities of our model were then tested (Step 3: n = 754) to obtain norms (Step 4; n = 1132).

Results

The scale consisted of four sub-scales that assess the propensity of an individual to use digital technologies to support their socio-emotional cognition, decision making, semantic memory, and episodic memory/executive functions.

Conclusion

The scale can be used to start the investigation of the consequences of our use of digital technologies on the four aforementioned cognitive functions.