Divided attention refers to the ability to divide ones attention between two or more tasks. The focused attention models explain how all our inputs are focused on one task at any one time, however it is clear from looking at everyday life that we are able to divide our attention, successfully being able to complete more than one task at the same time. There are two main explanations of divided attention, one is the modular theories and the one I will be focusing on; the capacity model by Kanheman.
Kanheman (1973) put forward the capacity/resource allocation model of attention. This is one of the best known models and suggests that humans have a limited amount of processing capacity and whether two or more tasks can be performed together successfully depends on how much demand they make on this limited capacity processor. This idea of a limited capacity is very probable and has been clear to be the case from earlier research carried out on divided attention.
As well as the capacity, external factors such as heat, noise, anxiety and lack of sleep may also affect performance on tasks related to attention (Revelle). Findings such as these do support the capacity models of attention.
According to Kanheman different tasks require a different amount of processing. So, easy tasks will require little processing capacity and leave plenty available for carrying out another task at the same time, whereas more difficult tasks require a lot more processing capacity, so maybe can only be carried simultaneously with another task which doesn't require so much. The amount of capacity that a task requires depends on a number of things such as its difficulty and past experience of the task. If past experience of the task is increased, and p...
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...a circular argument by Allport (1980). He says that it is too easy to explain the findings from dual task experiments in terms of central capacity. So if two tasks can be performed simultaneously it's because they don't exceed the central capacity and if they cannot be performed then it is because the combined effort needed to accomplish the tasks exceeds the capacity. This may be the case, but there is no independent definition of the central processing capacity. So, task difficulty cannot be defined. The argument is circular as difficult tasks require more attention and tasks that require more attention are difficult.
In conclusion, the central capacity theory although being an advance on earlier theories, cannot account for the effects of task similarity on dual task performance and it has been accused of being descriptive rather than explanatory (Allport).
Multi-tasking is the second of my weaknesses that can hinder my team effectiveness and slow productivity. It is true that a large number of tasks have to be accomplished within a limited
Such recent theories related to vigilance decrement suggest that the reasoning behind the vigilance decrement is related to the decrease of “processing resources”. The participants in this experiment was required continuous monitor of the radar screen for a long period. In this time the continuous groups had to either make “targets or neutral stimuli discrimination” with any form of rest or any form of other activity. Considering these things in mind it is suggested that the resource section probably w...
...however issues such as reliability, validity and bias occur when studying brain damaged patients therefore is not always a valid way of studying working memory (in Smith, 2007).
It is an interesting point and supported by the above claim that we can train our brains to become heavy or light multitaskers. Clifford Nass states, the issue is not about multitasking on related items, but rather when we are writing email, watching YouTube and on posting on Twitter about another social event (The Myth of Multitasking). “It's extremely healthy for your brain to do integrative things. It's extremely destructive for your brain to do non-integrative things” (The Myth of
Rumelhart, D.E., Hinton, G.E., & McClelland, J.L. (1986). A General Framework for Parallel Distributed Processing. In Rumelhart, D.E., & McClelland, J.L. and the PDP Research Group (1986) Eds. Parallel Distributed Processing: Explorations in the Microstructure of Cognition. Volume 1: Foundations. MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.
Performing well in at certain tasks and retaining information both require a high level of attention. Multitasking requires that this attention be divided amongst different tasks. As a result, the some of the attention used for a certain task must now be used for other tasks, which affects the factors needed to complete it. Referring to an experiment that was discussed earlier, Wieth and Burns (2014) stated that even with the reward, the promise of incentive could not override the limits of people’s attention. Retaining information requires undivided attention. The key word is ‘undivided.’ According to this experiment, it is nearly impossible to have the same high level of focus while working on multiple tasks that a person would while working on one task. Once someone has reached the end of their attention span, their performance begins to falter. In a final experiment involving media multitasking and attention, Ralph, Thomson, Cheyne, and Smilek (2014) stated that multitasking can lead to mind wandering and lapses in attention, which distracts people from their tasks. These results show that once their attention is divided, it can lead to distractions and difficulty completing different tasks. It is difficult to complete one assignment while focusing on several others at the same time. Multitasking affects the attention needed for a task, which can affect everything
Samuel corrects this outcome in her article by explaining, “Whether it’s an overflowing inbox, a backlog of unread articles or a Twitter feed that moves faster than we can read, most of us are suffering from an information overload.” By having multiple programs open at once, such as a web browser, word processor, and email application, people are overloading themselves with too much information, and are therefore less efficient. Richtel explains how multitasking has been scientifically proven to be less efficient by stating, “While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting down irrelevant information, scientists say, and they cause more stress.” By only selecting one task at a time to complete, one can stop the information overload causing the loss of focus and the ability to let go of useless figures and programs. However, a loss of focus is not only the consequence of multitasking. A disorder, or as Sam Horn describes it, “. . . a distinctive type of brain organization,” called ADHD causes odd behaviors such as restlessness in children and impatience in adults (Restak 413-414). Restak describes ADHD’s involvement in the workplace by stating, “In order to be successful in today’s workplace you have to incorporate some elements of ADD/ADHD” (416). Multitasking has made the behaviors stated above normal in the workplace, but the symptoms from ADHD or ADD can be limited by reserving a person’s attention to one matter at a time. Though working on only one task at a time may seem less efficient at first, having to switch between programs could cause a loss of focus due to the many distractions such programs could bring
Today we live in a society where everything is seconds away from us. With the advances and affordability of quality technology, you would be hard pressed to find someone without a smartphone, laptop, or tablet, possibly all at the same time. Because of the accessibility we find that, in our tech-savvy culture, multitasking has not just become an art form of sorts, but rather an expectation. In the article “Multitasking Can Make You Lose…Um…Focus,” Alina Tugend sets out to explore the idea that although multitasking appears to show productivity, it could be doing the opposite. Throughout her article, Tugend uses studies done by neurologists and psychologists to show how in a world that sees multitasking as an expectation it has actually made us less efficient. She proposes, through studies, that although you might be working on multiple tasks it is as if you’re playing tennis with multiple balls (Tugend, 725).
Journal of Attention Disorders. 17(2), 141-141. pp. 141-
Moreover, “The human brain works more efficiently on a single task and for sustained rather than intermitted or alternating periods of time” (Multitasking 758). So, this does not mean that the human brain can’t handle multitasking; it could, but is not as accurate or efficient as if it was performing one task and concentrating only on that task; consequently, students’ brains would work more efficiently and accurately if students were only focusing on one task.... ... middle of paper ... ...
In the article titled “Is Multitasking More Efficient?” researchers measured the productivity of multitasking by asking groups of participants to switch between different tasks that varied in complexity. The study showed that there was the obvious loss of time when the participants had to mentally switch to the other task, and it was also revealed that there was a greater lose in time when participates had to “switch between more complex tasks… that were relatively unfamiliar” (1). Multitasking is meant to be time saving, yet the initial action of just switching between two tasks has been prove to be counterproductive in itself when the tasks being performed are moderately challenging. Some attempts of multitasking “may actually take more time in the end” than just simply completing each individual task separately (2). Multitasking difficult tasks not only negatively affects the time spent trying to simultaneously complete more than one task, but it also affects the productivity and learning aspect of completing a task as well. In the article “Taking on Multitasking”, author Jerome Rekart explains how “dividing attention by multitasking impedes learning and performance in the short-term and… long term memory and retention” (1). Multitasking when in regards to performing cognitive tasks, which requires more of an intellectual process to complete, thus isn’t recommended for specific tasks that aren’t
The 'Standard'. Cognition (8th ed.). Geneseo, NY: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Qinglin, Z., Jiang, Q., & Guikang, C. (2004).
Although there was some criticisms about the above experiment, Craik and Tulving performed more experiments each time refining the D.O.P. model. There were thoughts that the structural tasks were easier and not as much time had to be spent on them therefore people did not have as long to look at those words and could not study them like the other tasks. Craik and Tulving then made the structural task take equally as long as the other tasks. The results remand the same as the previous experiments. Craik and Tulving also originally started with five tasks, but then narrowed it down to three to avoid a ceiling effect. The self-referent task was later added to model by Rogers.
The presence of accumulated stress and heavy work load on the brain automatically bring about the student or the employee inability to multitask; knowing fully well that multitasking is one essential key to excellence.
Alzahabi, Reem, and Mark W. Becker. "The Association Between Media Multitasking, Task-Switching, And Dual-Task Performance." Journal Of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception & Performance 39.5 (2013): 1485-1495. Academic Search Complete. Web. 18 Feb. 2014.