What Brain Imaging Reveals About the Nature of Multitasking

Abstract

The goal of this chapter is to provide an account of multitasking from the perspective of brain function and cognition, using the new information gleaned from brain imaging science. By comparing the brain activation patterns observed in multitasking to the activation in the component tasks, it is possible to discover what is neurally distinctive and costly about multitasking.The neurocognitive account relates multitasking to the coordination of two large scale cortical networks underlying each of the two tasks and a network of executive control. This approach provides new answers to several timeless questions about multitasking, such as the nature of the limited brain resources for which two tasks compete, the role of automaticity of one of the tasks being co-performed, and the brain effects of training. Keywords:Multitasking; fMRI, brain imaging, brain networks, neural resources, neural mechanisms, training effects, executive function, automaticity Because work and home environments often demand that several tasks be performed concurrently, the scientific study of multitasking has long been of interest. Multiple events in the natural and social environment often co-occur and need to be dealt with immediately and concurrently. For example, parents often have had to attend to one or more children while simultaneously performing other domestic tasks. Another source of interest in multitasking research is that it explores the limits of human cognitive capacities. It is our good fortune that, to some extent, the human brain has the remarkable capability to follow multiple trains of thought at the same time. But this capability has severe limitations because human thought is not unbounded, and it is difficult enough at times to follow just one train of thought.Multitasking opportunities have increased enormously due to the 21 st century technologies that provide a myriad of information streams on various communication devices, multiplying the already multiple streams of available information that might potentially be attended and processed. The availability of these multiple electronic information streams raises the question of what occurs in the human mind and brain when we try to process more than one stream of information at any given time.In this chapter we will use the term multitasking (or dual-tasking) to refer to the concurrent performance of two or more cognitive tasks, and not just passively experiencing multiple media stream inputs, such as interacting online while a movie is on TV. There must be two ongoing concurrent streams of active thought to qualify as multitasking according to our definition.Although the number of available information streams has increased, the brain capability of concurrently processing multiple streams of information has probably not increased by much, because the biological limits have not expanded. Multitasking usually results in at least one of the concurrent tasks being performed more poorly than when it is performed alone. Effective multitasking requires that two com...

Estudos comportamentais e de neuroimagem sobre multitarefa: uma revisão de literatura

“…The main objective of the present article is to articulate evidence from such studies to corroborate the hypotheses that (1) multitasking normally results in one task being performed more poorly than when performed alone (PASHLER, 1994;SCHMIDT, 2001); and that (2) multitasking is not a matter of recruiting more brain areas; it is, instead, a matter of synchronizing and utilizing more efficiently the available neural resources (SALVUCCI;TAATGEN, 2011;BUCHWEITZ, 2014). Within this main objective, we seek to understand how multitasking takes place in the brain, how our brains cope up with the task of processing various tasks, various streams of information at a time.…”

“…Just and Buchweitz (2014, p.14) advocate that "[...] the central scientific challenge is to further understand the brain mechanisms that both enable and constrain multitasking and to use this understanding to enhance learning and performance in educational, workplace, and recreational contexts." na área, de que (1) ser multitarefa resulta em demonstrar desempenho inferior em uma das tarefas (PASHLER, 1994;SCHMIDT, 2001), e de que (2) ser multitarefa envolve sincronizar e utilizar de forma mais eficiente os recursos neuronais disponíveis (SALVUCCI;TAATGEN, 2011;BUCHWEITZ, 2014 …”

“…2015. a consequence of our living in such a high-tech world, brings to light the issue of whether and how our brains cope up with the task of processing more than one stream of information at a time. With the advent of neuroimaging tools that enable us to see the healthy brain at work, to unveil the brain mechanisms that support and limit our multitasking ability is a scientific challenge (JUST; BUCHWEITZ, 2014). An even greater challenge is to apply such findings to improve learning and performance at school, work and leisure contexts.…”

“…Brain imaging studies have been interested in finding out whether the decrements in performance reflect a limitation in the ability to perform concurrent tasks or in the engagement of executive functions and strategies to enhance performance. According to Just and Buchweitz (2014), brain imaging confirms the role of the executive network and strategic control for the processing of concurrent tasks.…”

“…According to Just and Buchweitz (2014), to accomplish a task, such as sentence comprehension, different areas are synchronized (PRAT; JUST, 2010), activation levels rise and fall together, indicating that information is being transferred among the areas, what is referred to as coordination of activity. Just and Buchweitz (2014) review six principles articulated by Just and Varma (2007) that are consistent with the majority of fMRI studies, including studies of multitasking: (1) there is not only one area activated in the accomplishment of a task, there is rather a network of cortical areas; (2) each area activated has a characteristic processing style; (3) areas are assembled dynamically as task demands increase; (4) activation is synchronized between the participating areas; (5) the more demanding the task, the greater the amount of activation in the area(s) involved; and (6) cognitive centers are tightly integrated with sensory and motor centers; activation rises and falls at the same time.…”