Modern technology has become an everyday part of our lives, serving as both an indispensable tool and a source of entertainment. Its screen offers a refuge whenever we’d otherwise face a long wait in line or at a bus stop. (I wonder what’s going on in the world?) And they’re also handy when our companion just isn’t entertaining or talkative enough. (I’ll just check to see if anyone’s texted me.) And when we finally settle down on the couch after a long day and turn on the TV, it doesn’t hurt to dip our toes into the less stagnant waters of the online world at the same time. We surf, scroll, download, let our eyes dart back and forth, and take proper pride in how much we can take in all at once. In the midst of all this joyful distraction, it doesn’t even occur to us to worry about whether we’re still capable of fully concentrating on a single activity. Doesn’t the fact that we live in a world full of media temptations affect us?
The results of many studies agree that there is a link between multitasking and concentration problems. Mental resources are limited, and when we have to juggle multiple tasks at once, it also affects our performance. But let’s take a closer look at this phenomenon.
Imagine you’re sitting behind the wheel of your car. As you drive, you’re aware of the road’s unevenness, traffic signs, traffic lights, the car’s movements, and the sounds from the street. At the same time, you hear a voice from the passenger seat. Or from a hands-free device. Is there a difference? Yes, there is! Your passenger shares many of your own impressions. They see and hear the same things you do; the car sways them in the same way; and they intuitively adapt their conversation to all these sensations. There is harmony between them, you, and the traffic. In contrast, when you’re on the phone, the conversation demands your attention at the expense of the traffic. Whether or not you have your hands free doesn’t really matter. The person you’re talking to can’t see your journey anyway. Using this example, Rosenberg demonstrated that the problem does not lie purely in the accumulation of activities. The degree of distraction depends on whether the media divert the user from their primary activity (in this case, driving). And this, in turn, is linked to the established way in which these devices are used. As soon as we turn on a TV, computer, cell phone, tablet, or other device, they draw us toward an automated activity that we share with other users. Let’s take another example: You’re sitting in a lecture, and as you listen to the presentation, you’re typing it out word for word on your laptop. Regular users are so accustomed to typing quickly on a computer that it practically encourages them to do so. Handwriting usually doesn’t allow for that kind of speed. Research by Mueller and Oppenheimer showed that this is precisely why handwriters paid more attention to the content of the lecture and took only shorter notes. When both groups were then asked to demonstrate what they had learned, the performance of students using laptops was significantly worse than that of those using a regular notebook. The ability to record every word distracted them from trying to understand the overall meaning.
All in all, multitasking is associated with a number of negative effects and side effects. One of the most pressing is increased impulsivity. Attention is thus more easily ensnared by a web of distracting (albeit irrelevant) stimuli from the surroundings. (Haven’t you ever envied people who can read calmly amid the noise of people getting on and off public transportation?) However, some studies offer a different perspective and suggest that multitasking contributes to the ability to “switch” attention more quickly between tasks. And who knows—perhaps this is just one of a long list of overlooked benefits.
References:
- Aagaard, J. (2014). Media multitasking, attention, and distraction: a critical discussion. Phenomenology and the Cognitive Sciences, 47(8), 552-568.
- Ralph, B.C., Thomson, W.D.R., Cheyne, J.A., & Smilek, D. (2013). Media multitasking and failures of attention in everyday life. Psychological Research, 78(5), 661-669.
- Yap, J.Y., & Lim, S.W.H. (2013). Media multitasking predicts unitary versus splitting visual focal attention. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 25(7), 889-902.
