Split-Screen Distraction: The Role of Extraneous Visual Demands in Learning from Video

A genre of online videos known as “sludge content” has recently surged in popularity. These videos typically present two clips simultaneously, with one primary and one muted secondary video, creating an intentionally overstimulating viewing experience. Given the reliance on overstimulation and the inherent multitasking demands, these videos raise questions relevant to theories of multimedia learning and cognitive load. Inspired by this content format, we conducted a series of within-person studies to test whether simultaneous split-screen videos lead to changes in comprehension and memory. Across two pre-registered within-person studies (N Study 1 = 75, N Study 2 = 100), we examined whether simultaneous split-screen presentations impaired comprehension or memory. Contrary to predictions, we found no strong evidence that simultaneous video presentation affected memory. We found limited self-reported differences in interest, with higher interest reported for non-split-screen videos in Study 2, but no differences in attention difficulty or cognitive load. These findings suggest that viewers may adapt to split-screen visual input more efficiently than commonly assumed, raising new questions about attention and learning in contemporary multimedia environments.