Multi-Taskers Are Often Impulsive - and Not Very Good at Multi-Tasking

It is one of our most confounding and annoying traits as human beings: we always think we are better at something than others. Humorist Garrison Keillor captured the irony in his description of the inhabitants of his mythical creation, Lake Woebegone, Minnesota, "where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking and all the children are above average."

Multi-tasking turns out to be no exception. Technology has enhanced our belief that we can efficiently and effectively perform multiple assignments. Simultaneously juggling texting, internet search and personal conversation is considered life as we know it rather than indication of a potential nervous breakdown.

The problem, as the following article explains, is that research demonstrates that we are, in fact, not very good at multi-tasking and that those who do it the most are often the worst at it. Compulsive multitaskin may even be a sign of a learning disability or personality disorder. Which may cause those reading this while texting, checking email and drinking coffee to mis-type and spew a grande half-caff mocchiato through their nose and onto the computer screen. No problem. A good multitasker has plenty of paper towels handy since such occurrences are probably frequent.

The implication for business and for individuals is that the increasing burdens being placed on or demanded by people in the interest of advancement and/or fear of dismissal is that there is a point at which it becomes counterproductive. And that point generally arrives a whole lot earlier than expected. JL

Lindsay Abrams reports in The Atlantic:

PROBLEM: With the exception of texting while driving, which is absolutely deplorable, the ability to juggle multiple tasks at once is generally seen as impressive and, despite the fact that research suggests it actually makes it harder for us to process information, even necessary for getting by in modern society, METHODOLOGY: Undergrads at the University of Utah were asked to rate their own multitasking prowess on a zero to 100 scale, and then were put to the test: They had to memorize a sequence of letters interspersed with simple math equations. The researchers also evaluated their impulsiveness and sensation-seeking qualities, and asked them how often they used their phones while driving and how much time they spent using various types of media.

RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between multitasking ability and practice: Those who performed worse on the test were the most frequent multitaskers in real life. The subjects in the top 25 percent of performers on the multitasking test were also the least likely to multitask.

Meanwhile, 70 percent of participants rated themselves as above-average multitaskers. Not only was this a statistical impossibility, but those same people were also more likely to multitask, including driving while using their phones. They also scored high for impulsivity and sensation-seeking behavior.

CONCLUSION: As author David Strayer succinctly put it: "The people who multitask the most tend to be impulsive, sensation-seeking, overconfident of their multitasking abilities, and they tend to be less capable of multitasking."

IMPLICATIONS: Multitasking appears to be less of a special talent and more of an ADD-type behavior: The frequent multitaskers in this study were just unable to focus on one thing at a time. As for their misplaced faith in their ability, the researchers chalk this up to people's documented inability to assess themselves accurately, especially when it's about something that's perceived as important and desirable After all, they write, "the concept of multitasking may be somewhat nebulous to laypersons." Laypersons who will just keep cooking while watching TV while forever texting, remaining woefully ignorant of their limited abilities.