According to a new study, people who believe they can multitask
effectively are the least likely to be able to do so. Researchers
recruited 277 undergraduate students and asked them to complete a series
of questionnaires. One of the questions asked the students to rank
their multitasking ability relative to other students. Approximately 70
percent of them claimed they were “above average” at multitasking.
However, the study found that the students who chronically multitasked
and overestimated their multitasking abilities were the least capable of
doing it effectively. Data suggest that people multitask because they
struggle to focus on one task at a time.
A study of 277 students found that those who believed they were good at multitasking were actually the worst at it. About 70% thought they were above average, but frequent multitaskers performed poorly. The research suggests people multitask not out of skill, but because they struggle to focus on one task at a time.
"Interesting! This shows that thinking you're good at multitasking doesn't mean you actually are. It’s better to focus on one thing at a time."
"Interesting! This shows that thinking you're good at multitasking doesn't mean you actually are. It’s better to focus on one thing at a time."
