Harnessing the power of adaptation: a pre-registered systematic review on executive functions and the adaptation to new technologies

Eva Gößwein and Magnus Liebherr

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2025, vol. 44, issue 12, 2860-2875

Abstract: Given the pervasive integration of technology into everyday life and its importance in mitigating the negative consequences of global crises, an understanding of human adaptation and preceding cognitive abilities remains highly relevant. A systematic review synthesising empirical findings on the association of executive functions (EFs) and the adaptation to new technologies is currently lacking in the literature. The presented pre-registered, systematic review adheres to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and aims to extract the current state of research on this topic [Registration DOI:10.17605/OSF.IO/MKA82]. Empirical studies investigating the influence of EFs on human adaptation were eligible for inclusion, resulting in 11 studies and 3,733 participants among PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and PsycINFO. Results suggest an enhancing influence of EFs on the adaptation to new technologies, although findings were partially mixed. Inconsistent findings and the performed risk of bias assessment point toward a need for further high-quality research, e.g. on the influence of technological context. A model of possible covariates was proposed that provides guidance for a structured investigation of the process of human adaptation to technology. This review contributes to a better understanding of the association between EFs and human adaptation to new technologies.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2024.2417381

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