Students completed standardized questionnaires assessing impulsiveness, sensation seeking, media habits (including multitasking with multiple media), and cell phone use while driving. On average, they reported using their phones while driving 13.3% of the time—higher than the 10% reported in a 2012 national survey for young adults aged 16–24. When asked to rate their multitasking ability compared to peers, 70% claimed to be above average, reflecting a common overestimation similar to the "Lake Wobegon effect.
The study found that students who were more impulsive and sensation-seeking tended to engage in more multitasking. However, those who most frequently used their phones while driving were not more impulsive than others. This suggests boredom, not impulsivity, may drive phone use behind the wheel. According to researcher Sanbonmatsu, people multitask because they struggle to focus on one task and are easily distracted or seek stimulation when bored.
