Believing that we are 'multitasking' boosts performance - even if we aren't tackling several jobs at once, according to a new study.
Taking on too many tasks can affect how well we do them, but researchers found that the 'illusion of multitasking' can improve productivity.
A series of experiments suggests that believing that we are multitasking makes us more engaged in the task at hand and can improve the way we work.
Previous research has shown that it is impossible for humans to pay attention to multiple tasks at the same time.
But while we are switching back and forth between tasks, we might think we are multitasking - and it is that illusion which can help boost our performance.
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Believing that we are 'multitasking' boosts performance - even if we aren't tackling several jobs at once, according to a new study. Taking on too many tasks at once can affect how well we do them, but researchers found that the 'illusion of multitasking' can improve productivity (stock)
Assistant Professor Shalena Srna, of the University of Michigan, said: 'Multitasking is often a matter of perception or can even be thought of as an illusion.
'Importantly, our perception of multitasking is flexible.
'We might perceive sitting in a meeting as a single task, but we may actually be engaged in two tasks - listening to the person speaking and taking notes.
'Regardless of whether people actually engage in a single task or multiple tasks, making them perceive this activity as multitasking is beneficial to performance.'
In a lab-based study, more than 160 participants watched and transcribed an educational video from Animal Planet.
Despite participants completing the same activities, half of them were told they were completing two tasks - learning and transcribing - while the others believed they were completing a single task to test their learning and writing abilities.
The group that thought they were multitasking transcribed more words per second, wrote a greater number of words accurately and scored better on a comprehension quiz.
Similar result patterns were also produced in an online note-taking study where participants who thought they were multitasking took better notes with more words compared with those who thought they were single-tasking.
In another online study, researchers tried to determine whether a more subtle manipulation would influence our perceptions of multitasking.
All participants completed two word puzzles presented on the screen at the same time.
A series of experiments suggests that simply believing that we are multitasking makes us more engaged in the task at hand and can improve the way we work (stock image)
Some believed all the puzzles they saw to belong to the same study, displayed against the same background, while others thought the puzzles belonged to two separate studies and were displayed against different backgrounds, separated by a vertical line.
Those who believed the puzzles to be part of two different studies said the activity was more like multitasking than those who thought they were completing puzzles for a single study.
Again, the 'multitaskers' submitted more words per second and more correct words compared with their single-tasking peers.
The results reoccurred across 30 experiments where participants received monetary rewards based on their performance.
Dr Srna and her team suggested perceiving an activity as multitasking might enhance performance by affecting how much we engage in tasks and conducted further lab-based experiments to test their theory.
The team used eye-tracking technology to measure participants' eye dilation as they worked to show their mental efforts while completing tasks.
Participants who believed they were multitasking not only performed the task better but their pupils were also more dilated on average during the activity which suggests they were exerting more mental effort to stay engaged.
The findings were published in the journal Psychological Science.
Link hienalouca.com
https://hienalouca.com/2018/11/14/believing-we-are-multitasking-boosts-performance-even-if-we-arent-tackling-several-jobs-at-once/
Main photo article Believing that we are ‘multitasking’ boosts performance – even if we aren’t tackling several jobs at once, according to a new study.
Taking on too many tasks can affect how well we do them, but researchers found that the ‘illusion of multitasking’ can improve...
It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.
Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.
Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca
https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2018/11/14/15/6179822-6389163-image-a-15_1542210812390.jpg
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