Individual differences in everyday multitasking behavior and its relation to cognition and personality

Himi, Samsad Afrin; Volberg, Gregor; Bühner, Markus; Hilbert, Sven

doi:10.1007/s00426-022-01700-z

Cited by 11 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, MIB is not only prevailing in the workplace but recent researchers are also keen on multitasking performance in real-world tasks. Himi et al (2022) establish results that individual differences in multitasking behavior are linked with different cognitive constructs and personality traits that enriched the current research findings that apart from the external predictors, there are individual factors that predict multitasking behavior.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Examining the predictors of multitasking information behavior among library and information science professionals in Pakistan

Butt

Warraich

2023

IDD

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Purpose The multitasking phenomenon has been prevailing in the technology-driven information environment. People are engaged in multitasking to process information and deal with personal and professional information tasks. This study aims to explore the external predictors of multitasking information behavior (MIB) of library and information science (LIS) professionals from Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach This is a quantitative study based on a questionnaire survey, and data was collected through Google Form; the link was shared via e-mail and WhatsApp to get maximum responses. The sampling includes the LIS professionals working in Higher Education Commission-recognized universities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. A total of 126 responses were received from 41 universities of KPK. Findings Pearson correlation and regression were applied by using SPSS for data analysis. The findings revealed that time pressure (TP) is a good predictor of multitasking because when professionals got tasks with deadlines, they try to perform multiple activities at a time. Therefore, TP is a predictor of human MIB. This study also revealed that the work environment is a less significant predictor of MIB, and the use of multiple information resources is a weak predictor of MIB. It is noted that individual covariates were not predictors of the multitasking information. However, TP was the most significant predictor among all the contextual and individual factors predicting MIB. Research limitations/implications This research line is significant because MIB is a new dimension of human information behavior among LIS professionals. The findings are beneficial for LIS professionals to increase their work productivity and performance by rationalizing the significant predictors. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no such study is available that highlighted the MIB among LIS professionals. Therefore, this study will highlight external factors’ effects on LIS professionals’ MIB. This study will contribute to the literature on libraries and information management as this study describes the LIS professionals’ behavior.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 73%

Examining the predictors of multitasking information behavior among library and information science professionals in Pakistan

Butt

Warraich

2023

IDD

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“…Notably, this relationship (r = .66) was substantially stronger than in previous studies (r = [.10, .50]; Himi et al, 2023). Such studies typically relied on self-reports to measure multitasking preference but traditional behavioural tasks to measure performance (Himi et al, 2023). In contrast, our study utilized a consistent method to measure both preference and performance, which likely contributed to the higher observed correlation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 54%

“…One potential explanation for the mixed ndings is that performance varies depending on the measures used, as there is no adequate measure for everyday multitasking. Instead, research in this area tends to utilize different behavioural tasks (Himi et al, 2023). One example is the day-out task (DOT), where participants are required to prepare for a day out (e.g., meeting a friend at dinner) which involves planning for a series of subtasks (e.g., mapping the bus route to the dinner location, taking motion sickness medication before the bus ride; Schmitter-Edgecombe et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Everyday Multitasking Scale (EMS): Exploring the Cognitive and Temperament Correlates of Multitasking in Young People

Fang,

Kostyrka-Allchorne,

Coll-Martín

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Multitasking is vital in the contemporary fast-paced world. Laboratory studies have consistently demonstrated this ability to be reliant on complex cognitive functions, which can be impaired in young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). However, everyday multitasking, differing from experimental paradigms in many aspects, is much less understood, in part, because of the lack of appropriate measures. To address this, the present study reports on the development and initial validation of the Everyday Multitasking Scale (EMS), as the first self-report measure assessing young people’s everyday multitasking performance and preference. It also explores the association between multitasking and individual variations in ADHD symptoms, temperament, and delay aversion. A convenience sample of 155 individuals aged 16–21 years (M = 19.04, SD = 1.13) completed the 27-item EMS, as well as the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997), Quick Delay Questionnaire (Clare et al., 2010), and Adult Temperament Questionnaire (Evans & Rothbart, 2007). Factor analysis identified two factors of the EMS: multitasking performance (10 items; α = .88) and multitasking preference (six items; α = .84). Bivariate correlations showed that performance was positively correlated with preference, effortful control, and orienting sensitivity, while negatively correlated with ADHD and delay aversion. Path analysis showed the direct association between ADHD and multitasking performance was fully mediated by effortful control and orienting sensitivity. These results suggested that although individuals with higher levels of ADHD symptoms reported worse multitasking performance, this may be improved by increasing orienting sensitivity and effortful control and reducing aversion to delay.

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“…В соответствии со второй гипотезой, субъективное переживание собственной многозадачности связано с позитивными эмоциями, компетентностью, добросовестностью и открытостью опыту. Эти данные дополняют результаты исследования S. Himi и соавторов [17] о связи личностных особенностей с многозадачностью. Можно предполагать, что добросовестность, компетентность и открытость опыту провоцируют людей на организацию своей деятельности более многозадачно.…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

“…Как указывают в своем библиографическом обзоре E. Beukels и ее соавторы, наибольшее внимание уделяется связи медиамногозадачности с когнитивными способ-ностями, особенно у подростков [16]. Обзор исследований S. Himi и соавторов указывает на то, что такие личностные особенности как добросовестность, открытость опыту и полихроничность могут способствовать тому, что когнитивные способности находят выражении в более эффективном многозадачном поведении, т. е. могут играть роль модератора связи между когнитивными особенностями и многозадачностью [17]. По данным S. Lim и H. Shim [18], познавательная потребность, особенно дополненная стремлением к поиску новых ощущений, связаны с больше склонностью к многозадачности при использовании смартфонов.…”

Section: обзор литературыunclassified

Psychological and digital factors of student attitudes towards multitasking

Rasskazova

Солдатова

2023

Obraz. nauka

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Introduction. Despite the evidence from the cognitive approach that performance decreases under multitasking conditions, multitasking is increasingly seen as an important skill to develop, especially among young people.Aim. The present research aims to reveal personal (personal traits, satisfaction of basic needs) and digital (user activity, combined activity, attitude to technology, digital competence) factors of subjective assessment of multitasking in students and their attitude to multitasking.Methodology and research methods. In the course of the research, 260 students of Moscow universities answered questions about their multitasking and their attitude to it, and then filled out the scales for assessing subjective well-being, attitudes towards learning, personal traits, basic psychological needs, user and combined activity, attitudes to technology, digital competence and the desire for digitalisation of education. The data were processed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation analysis, group comparison methods (Pearson’s Chi-square, Student’s t-test).Results. According to the estimates of the students, they spend almost half of their daytime combining different activities. Most of students consider multitasking as a useful skill and would like to improve it. Higher multitasking scores are associated with greater conscientiousness, openness to experience, competence, positive emotions, as well as technophilia, digital skills. The desire to improve own multitasking is higher among students with a higher level of combined activity, technophilia, technorationality, as well as among students, who higher estimate the opportunities of digitalisation in education. Two out of three students consider multitasking as a useful ability; every second student thinks that multitasking can be developed by training. Multitasking and the desire to improve it are related to the attitude towards multitasking as a trained and developed skill, while the idea of its usefulness or uniqueness is practically not related to psychological and digital factors. Further research may be aimed at revealing relationships between subjective multitasking with activity diary data and experimentally organised multitasking.Scientific novelty. The attitude to multitasking format among young people was investigated from the perspective of a comprehensive approach, which combines personal characteristics and peculiarities of online activity.Practical significance. The peculiarities of students’ attitudes towards multitasking as a personal choice of doing several things simultaneously, reflecting among other things a positive attitude towards multitasking and a desire to develop it, can become a significant component to develop educational programmes, as well as important knowledge to provide interaction between teachers and students under the conditions of digitalisation in education.

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Individual differences in everyday multitasking behavior and its relation to cognition and personality

Cited by 11 publications

References 152 publications

Examining the predictors of multitasking information behavior among library and information science professionals in Pakistan

Examining the predictors of multitasking information behavior among library and information science professionals in Pakistan

Everyday Multitasking Scale (EMS): Exploring the Cognitive and Temperament Correlates of Multitasking in Young People

Psychological and digital factors of student attitudes towards multitasking

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