Multitasking in Complex Environments: An Attempt to Generalize Individual Differences in Multitasking to a Realistic Task Setting

Abstract

Multitasking is a common feature of many modern work and home environments, and this study investigated the relationship between multitasking performance in two different paradigms: a more controlled task-switching paradigm (TSWP) and a more complex, semi-ecologically valid multitasking paradigm (SynWin). The study also explored whether parallel processors may have performance advantages in a complex dual-task environment. Results showed no significant correlation between individual multitasking efficiency in the TSWP and SynWin paradigms. Additionally, the results indicated that the combination of subtasks was the primary factor affecting performance in dual-task variants of the SynWin, rather than the use of a parallel processing mode. We conclude that there may be constraints with respect to the experimental conditions necessary to generalize findings from controlled multitasking paradigms to semi-ecologically valid tasks scenarios. Future research should prioritize efforts to understand how people multitask in more realistic settings and the underlying cognitive processes involved.