Multi-Tasking 1

Abstract

Multi tasking mans performing more than one tasks at a time. In this paper we

have discussed the background of multi tasking and its various aspects in this modern

age (Dario D. Salvucci, 2010). It has been observed that now the life style has changed

to a greater extent and people are nor performing multi tasking by choice rather they

are compelled to do it most of the times. Here through different researches conducted at

different renowned institutions we have found out that what are consequences of multi

tasking , what happens inside the brain while performing the tasks involving multi

tasking , how younger generation is performing multi tasking and in what way is it going

to affect their behavior and life style in the long run. In this paper we will also examine

the attitude and performance of students and business persons performing multi tasking

activities.

Executive Summary

Multi tasking is the ability to perform more than one task simultaneously. In the

previous times it was considered to be an extra skill but nowadays most of the people

are compelled to perform multi tasking activities (David M. Sanbonmatsu, 2013). There

are different scenarios in which we perform multi tasking activities . Sometimes they are

requirement of job and at the other time we do such activities out of our own desire or

for our own entertainment. This phenomenon of switching from ne activity to the other is

not as simple as it seems but it involves complex phenomenon taking place in the brain.

The brain takes time to switch over and it is a fact that if we are distracted from our task
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we need a reasonable extent of time to come back to the original task. It is important to

decide that when to perform such activities and when not. We must assess our ability to

do multi tasking honestly in order to avoid any threat such as accidents .Some people

are better at doing multi tasking than the others (REDDY, 2014) . The younger

generation is more used to perform multi tasking and many times are able to do fine but

we have to wait and see the impact of such activities on their lives in the long run.At the

same time with experience and researches it is a strong opinion that people who focus

single task at one time have better memory , ability to switch over and better attention

span.

Who Multi-Tasks and Why? Multi-Tasking Ability, Perceived Multi-Tasking Ability,

Impulsivity, and Sensation Seeking

This article is based on a study in which the relationship between the

personalities of people and the differences of their capabilities to perform tasks

involving multitasking have been examined (Dario D. Salvucci, 2010). The people who

participated in this study were mostly university students who actively participated in the

multitasking activities and perceived all the activities as sensation seeking and

impulsive. Additionally their executive control and the real capability to perform

multitasking activities was assessed. It was found during the study that the persons who

are found to be able to perform multitasking activities are not basically those who are

capable of performing many tasks at one time (Rosin, 2008) . On the other hand these

are those people who find it hard to focus at one thing at a time and their multitasking

activities are most of the time negatively correlated with the actual activities which they
Multi-Tasking 3

are supposed to perform in that particular time span such as talking or handling

activities on mobile phones while driving . The positive correlation between capability

and multitasking was found to be quite inflated. It was found that the people who were

low scorers or on the tasks of operation Span with higher levels of impulsivity in their

behavior are more likely to perform multitasking activities due to their particular behavior

pattern. Therefore it was concluded that people who are seem to perform multitasking

activities are actually not much focused people rather these are ones who find it hard to

concentrate on a single task with consistency and are more frequently distracted by

other thoughts or ideas.

It is a matter of common observation that most of the time people are not

satisfied or content by performing only one thing at one time and they tend to perform

multitasking. The aim of this sort of multitasking is to attain multiple results at a time.

The multi tasking activities most of the time involves the performance of more than

single tasks at the same time which are involve synchronized activities which are

needed to be worked out and performed independently .Such tasks involve distinct

stimulus, transformation of mind and distinct goals (Crenshaw, 2008). It is a fact that

most of the time people are performing multitasking activities without even realizing it. It

has been found out that people perform multi tasking activities which are not evaluated

in a way that who should perform or who has the potential to perform such activities

rather people perform such activities when they are compelled to perform multi tasking

through motivation or out of compulsion. The proficiency of people has got not much to

do with their ability to perform multi tasking.

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Executive Control of Cognitive Processes in Task Switching

It has been suggested by the latest studies that there are hidden costs of

multitasking . In this age of latest technology when everyone is using the modern and

smart gadgets most of the people are engaged in multitasking most of the times. People

are utilizing their potential of executive control whether they are working and browsing

on different computer programs monitoring the air traffic , using mobile phones while

driving . While doing so they are making use of CEO of their minds. This segment is

linked with the prefrontal cortex of their brains and some other neural parts. All these

parts of brain which are interlinked they prioritize the tasks assigned to the mind

simultaneously and then allocate the mind to the individual to perform them accordingly

(Oberlander, 2008). Every aspect of performance by the humans they need a particular

resource of mind which is needed to be supervised through an executive control. ,

Rubinstein, Evans

and Meyer carried out detailed studies to comprehend this capacity of executive control

and the limitations of human mind while performing activities involving multi tasking and

the extent to which time is lost while switching over from one task to the other one

involving different levels of familiarity and complexity . They included four different tasks

which involved the identification of geometrical figures and solution of mathematical

problems in young adults.

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They measured he speed of performance of the participants by taking into

consideration the factors of familiarity and the fact that whether the tasks were unknown

complex or simple for the participants.

It was found out that in all cases of familiarity and complexity the participants of

the research lost some time while switching over from one task to another. This loss of

time was more when the tasks were complex and was less when the tasks were simple.

Same phenomenon happened when the tasks were not familiar to the participants. The

participants were more quickly responsive o the familiar tasks (Foehr, 2006). With these

evaluations the researchers found out two distinct stages are involved in the executive

control which can be identified as rule activation and goal shifting. These both factors

help the people to switch over from one task to the other one.

A significant amount of time is taken by the rule activation in which people decide

either to skip or include certain rules while performing multi tasking which can be a

certain tenth of a second. So it can be concluded that apparently multi tasking seems to

be more efficient but in actual it is more time consuming phenomenon. This know how

may prove helpful for the people to opt for better strategies while performing the tasks

involving multi tasking in order to maximize their efficiencies. As pointed out by Meyer

that only loss of a half second while switching from one task to the other may cost either

life or death to a driver. The out of control vehicle can go far to crash into any posed

obstacle which can be avoided in the split of second by attaining complete control over

the vehicle. It is suggested by the experts that if we understand the phenomenon of the

executive control the it can be helpful in solving some basic issues while designing the
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interface of human mind with computer based devices like vehicles , operations of

aircrafts ,Air Traffic Control and many other devices involving technologically advanced

gadgets and devices.

Changing Our Brains

In order to comprehend the actual phenomenon of multitasking psychologists

and neurologists have carried out the studies of brain and its working. Jordan Grafman

who is head of studies of cognitive sciences at National Institute of Neurological

Disorders and Stroke in 1999 (Rubinstein, 2008).He used FMRI to find out the

phenomenon taking place when people switch over from one task to the other at the

same time and he found out that during this phenomenon supply of blood is enhanced

in the region of frontal cortex which is shown as a proxy symbol of the phenomenon

taking place. It leads to the fact that in a long term multi tasking is not a good strategy.

Some other neurologists have carried out studies to research on the phenomenon of

multi tasking and its impact on brain through fMRI. Marois has found out in a study to

demonstrate the response of brain when it is commanded to perform more than one

tasks at a time it behaves like a bottle neck for the selection of response. While

receiving such commands brain tends to waste some time to decide that which task

should be performed on priority (David M. Sanbonmatsu, 2013).

On the other hand according to Psychologist David Meyer working at the

Michigan University believes that in this sort of situation the brain undergoes a
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phenomenon of adaptive executive control. It enables the person to decide the priority

wise performance of the assigned tasks.

Meyer gives an optimistic consideration to this issue and suggests that it is

possible to train brain to switch over from one task to another through smooth transition.

He has found out in his research that multi tasking leads to release adrenaline and other

stress hormones. This can lead to loss of short term memory and other health issues in

the long term. It has been found out in another research conducted by Russel Poldrack

at university of California which suggests that multitasking adversely affects the

phenomenon of learning in students even if the information to be attained is more

simple or specialized and such information is hard to be retrieved as compared to the

one attained at one time as only focus point (Rosin, 2008). He warns that the way we

are working nowadays is not appropriate as being humans we are designed to focus on

one thing at one time. When we indulge ourselves in multi tasking we think that we are

being more efficient in our performance but actually it is not like this. Actually we drive

ourselves to be less efficient in the long term.

With the introduction of the latest technologies all the people are switching over from

one activity to the other very frequently and find it hard to focus on one thing at a time.

Like at a time they are handling their mails , mobile , music , entertainment and study

and are not focused on any one. It is predicted that this generation will turn out to be

extremely impatient and unsatisfied.

It is a matter of great concern in this age of technology and many latest devices

and is required to be found out that in which manner is it affecting the students and
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young people when most of them are performing many tasks at one time (David M.

Sanbonmatsu, 2013) .The youngsters justify that they are capable of performing many

activities at the same time may be because they are brought up with this culture so they

are better able to cope with it. A study was conducted in Oregon Episcopal School as a

science research program by Ms. Ulmer and Ms. Caulfield suggests that they are right

to some extent in their point of view. This research was quite impressive . The main

area of the research was to find out that while performing multi tasking activities are the

behaviors of youngsters and their ability of self control affected or not. It is found out

that as the youngsters are more and more exposed to multi tasking activities so they do

not always result negatively , rather they may also prove more productive at times

(Oberlander, 2008).

It has been found out that students who attain high scores in multi tasking

activities are engaged in such sort of activities for about three hours a day . This also

includes the time when they are doing their homework . The students who did not score

high with multi tasking activities usually spent not more than twenty minutes with such

activities and hardly practice multi tasking while doing their home works.

In another study performed with teenagers in which some of them were sent to a multi

tasking room with all modern gadgets like computer and mobile phones and were asked

to perform multi tasking activities and other group focused on single tasks. The study

revealed that those who focused on single task at one time performed better than those

who did multi tasking (David M. Sanbonmatsu, 2013).

Multi-Tasking 9

In some other studies conducted on the same issue it has been found out that

the people who are focused on one job at one time have got better attention span , have

better ability to switch over from one activity to the other and possess better memory of

function control as compared to the well known multi taskers. The ability of the heavy

media multi taskers to switch over from one function to the other and not being

distracted by other irrelevant information was not good at all. They possessed an

impaired ability to filter out unwanted information (Foehr, 2006).

It has also been observed in some researches that the people who spend more

time with media juggling with multiple devices develop changes in the structures of their

brains and they possess grey matter of lower density in the anterior of their cingulate

cortex as compared with the people who engage themselves with one media device at

on time.. Cingulate cortex is the part of brain which performs emotional and cognitive

processing but samples of scans did not support this point. It has also been suggested

in some of the researches that some genetic factors might also be responsible for

making some individuals good at multi tasking than the others.

In the world of business the decisions are time bound and are critical if not taken well in

time so multitasking becomes inevitable most of the times. Toll might be taken on the

economy through multitasking (Crenshaw, 2008). In a study conducted by researchers

has revealed that a work takes almost twenty to twenty five minutes to focus on his work

when once distracted by any interruption like a telephone call or replying to mail etc.
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It has been found out that overload of information by the workers in business and

extremely performing multi tasking activities makes US economy to bear a loss of USD

six million per year.

In this age of technology and hustle bustle anxiety has become a part and parcel

of the lives of most of the people and all of us are compelled to perform many tasks at

one time (Joshua S. Rubinstein, 2001). Previously multitasking was a term used for the

processing of many tasks in parallel by the computer but now it has become a short

term for humans performing many tasks simultaneously. Most of the times these tasks

are performed with the help of many modern and smart gadgets involving a large

number of technologies.

In the previous decades people were quite enthusiastic to get access to the capabilities

of multitasking . The introduction and possession of hand held digital gadgets was

greatly celebrated and advertised with great pride.

This led many office workers to restyle their work and became team players exhibiting

high grade performance (Rosin, 2008). The term of multitasking appeared as a great

skill to be practiced. Now at this time all of us are doing multitasking and are not able to

recall a time when we never did it as our lives has become too busy and we are

compelled to do a lot in short intervals.

In the recent times it has become a culture to do multi tasking which sometimes poses

fatal threats like use of mobile phones or other electronic gadgets while driving is really

life threatening for self as well as others on the road. This sort of life threatening multi

tasking has been declared to be illegal in many states due to the dire consequences.
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