Difference between revisions of "Multitasking"

From Cyborg Anthropology
Jump to: navigation, search
Line 1: Line 1:
 
===Definition===
 
===Definition===
Mutitasking is a term used to describe the act of participating in more than one action or thing at a time. It is the opposite of [[Unitasking]], which describes the act of focusing on a single thing at a time. Although multitaskers may feel like they are flowing between activities and being productive while multitasking, many studies have shown that they do not.<ref>Ophira, Eyal, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner. Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106 No. 33, August 25, 2009.</ref>When multitasking, the brain does not store related memories in one place, but in small pieces. This causes performance and recall to suffer. Multitasking has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon due to the ease in which information and actions can be preformed online.  
+
Mutitasking is a term used to describe the act of participating in more than one action or thing at a time. It is the opposite of [[Unitasking]], which describes the act of focusing on a single thing at a time. Although multitaskers may feel like they are flowing between activities and being productive while multitasking, many studies have shown that they do not.<ref>Ophira, Eyal, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner. Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106 No. 33, August 25, 2009.</ref> When multitasking, the brain does not store related memories in one place, but in small pieces. This causes performance and recall to suffer. Multitasking has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon due to the ease in which information and actions can be preformed online.  
  
 
Reading a book without distractions is a good way to exercise the skills needed for focused tasks. Without the practice of unitasking, research has shown that one's cognitive ability to focus will decay, causing extremely poor mental performance.<ref>Pashler, H. “Attentional limitations in doing two tasks at the same time.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 1 (1992):44-50.</ref>
 
Reading a book without distractions is a good way to exercise the skills needed for focused tasks. Without the practice of unitasking, research has shown that one's cognitive ability to focus will decay, causing extremely poor mental performance.<ref>Pashler, H. “Attentional limitations in doing two tasks at the same time.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 1 (1992):44-50.</ref>

Revision as of 22:55, 29 June 2011

Definition

Mutitasking is a term used to describe the act of participating in more than one action or thing at a time. It is the opposite of Unitasking, which describes the act of focusing on a single thing at a time. Although multitaskers may feel like they are flowing between activities and being productive while multitasking, many studies have shown that they do not.[1] When multitasking, the brain does not store related memories in one place, but in small pieces. This causes performance and recall to suffer. Multitasking has become an increasingly prevalent phenomenon due to the ease in which information and actions can be preformed online.

Reading a book without distractions is a good way to exercise the skills needed for focused tasks. Without the practice of unitasking, research has shown that one's cognitive ability to focus will decay, causing extremely poor mental performance.[2]

Related Reading

References

  1. Ophira, Eyal, Clifford Nass, and Anthony D. Wagner. Cognitive Control in Media Multitaskers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Vol. 106 No. 33, August 25, 2009.
  2. Pashler, H. “Attentional limitations in doing two tasks at the same time.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 1 (1992):44-50.