Cognitive Crossroads: Empirical Effects of Replacing Social Media with Generative AI Tools on Learning, Retention, Attention, and Critical Thinking Among Young Adults (18–35)

Chinmay Chandrashekhar Powar

Cognitive Crossroads: Empirical Effects of Replacing Social Media with Generative AI Tools on Learning, Retention, Attention, and Critical Thinking Among Young Adults (18–35)

Author(s)	Asst. Prof. Chinmay Chandrashekhar Powar
Country	India
Abstract	Social media platforms have become the dominant mode of digital consumption among young adults aged 18–35, yet their cognitive consequences continue to generate scientific controversy. Concurrently, generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools—including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity—represent a qualitatively distinct mode of human-computer interaction characterized by active, dialogic engagement with knowledge. No prior empirical study has examined the cognitive consequences of systematically substituting social media usage with generative AI interaction within a controlled experimental design. This study reports findings from a pre-registered, two-group Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT; N = 312 completers, age M = 24.7 years, SD = 4.1) in which participants were randomly assigned to either a 60-day social media elimination + AI substitution condition or a continued social media use (control) condition. Outcome variables—learning ability, delayed knowledge retention, cognitive absorption, sustained attention, and critical thinking—were assessed using validated instruments at baseline (Week 0), midpoint (Week 4), endpoint (Week 9), and 30-day follow-up (Week 13). Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and difference-in-differences (DiD) analysis revealed that AI substitution produced significant improvements in knowledge retention (d = 0.61, p < .001), sustained attention as measured by Stroop interference scores (d = 0.54, p < .001), and cognitive absorption (d = 0.48, p = .002). Learning ability gains reached statistical significance (d = 0.39, p = .014) but were smaller in magnitude. Critical thinking showed a significant interaction with AI literacy (β = 0.31, p = .008): high-AI-literacy participants demonstrated meaningful critical thinking gains (d = 0.44), while low-AI-literacy participants showed no significant change (d = 0.09). Attention span recovery and increased cognitive engagement partially mediated the relationship between AI substitution and learning outcomes. These findings support a nuanced conclusion: generative AI functions as a cognitive enhancer when engaged dialogically and with sufficient user literacy, but does not universally produce such benefits. Implications are discussed for educational policy, digital regulation, and AI instructional design.
Keywords	Social Media, Artificial Intelligence, AI, Algorithm
Field	Computer > Artificial Intelligence / Simulation / Virtual Reality
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 2, March-April 2026
Published On	2026-03-08

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Cognitive Crossroads: Empirical Effects of Replacing Social Media with Generative AI Tools on Learning, Retention, Attention, and Critical Thinking Among Young Adults (18–35)

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