article

Multitasking across generations: Multitasking choices and difficulty ratings in three generations of Americans

Authors:

L. Mark Carrier,

Nancy A. Cheever,

Larry D. Rosen,

Sandra Benitez,

Jennifer ChangAuthors Info & Claims

Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 25, Issue 2

Pages 483 - 489

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.10.012

Published: 01 March 2009 Publication History

Abstract

This study investigated whether changes in the technological/social environment in the United States over time have resulted in concomitant changes in the multitasking skills of younger generations. One thousand, three hundred and nineteen Americans from three generations were queried to determine their at-home multitasking behaviors. An anonymous online questionnaire asked respondents to indicate which everyday and technology-based tasks they choose to combine for multitasking and to indicate how difficult it is to multitask when combining the tasks. Combining tasks occurred frequently, especially while listening to music or eating. Members of the ''Net Generation'' reported more multitasking than members of ''Generation X,'' who reported more multitasking than members of the ''Baby Boomer'' generation. The choices of which tasks to combine for multitasking were highly correlated across generations, as were difficulty ratings of specific multitasking combinations. The results are consistent with a greater amount of general multitasking resources in younger generations, but similar mental limitations in the types of tasks that can be multitasked.

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cover image Computers in Human Behavior

Computers in Human Behavior Volume 25, Issue 2

March, 2009

344 pages

ISSN:0747-5632

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Copyright © Elsevier Ltd © 2008.

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Elsevier Science Publishers B. V.

Netherlands

Publication History

Published: 01 March 2009

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Shaleha RRoque N(2024)Cognitive Performance in the Digital EraInternational Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning10.4018/IJCBPL.34178814:1(1-14)Online publication date: 9-Apr-2024
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.4018/IJCBPL.341788
Tsuchiya AMaekawa TImai M(2024)SCAINs Presenter: Preventing Miscommunication by Detecting Context-Dependent Utterances in Spoken DialogueProceedings of the 29th International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces10.1145/3640543.3645147(549-565)Online publication date: 18-Mar-2024
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Al-Furaih SAl-Awidi H(2021)Fear of missing out (FoMO) among undergraduate students in relation to attention distraction and learning disengagement in lecturesEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-020-10361-726:2(2355-2373)Online publication date: 1-Mar-2021
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Ettinger KCohen A(2020)Patterns of multitasking behaviours of adolescents in digital environmentsEducation and Information Technologies10.1007/s10639-019-09982-425:1(623-645)Online publication date: 1-Jan-2020
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