Does Multitasking Impair Studying? Depends on Timing
Abstract
Summary: It is often said that contemporary students frequently study while ‘multitasking’. However, this rather diffuse term encompasses situations that vary as to the whether the learner controls the pace at which educational materials are provided. On the basis of prior cognitive research, we hypothesize that this may well be a critical determinant of interference. Three studies required students to read or listen to several short historical narratives and also to engage in five to eight very short conversations (akin to an instant messaging conversation). In Experiment 1, subjects read the narratives; here, multitasking marginally increased total time spent reading the narratives, especially when it occurred at random times. However, final memory for the narratives was not significantly affected. Similar results were obtained when the narratives were presented in audio format and the learner could pause them while conversing (Experiment 2). By contrast, when audio narratives did not pause, interruptions reduced comprehension performance (Experiment 3). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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In Pashler et al. (2013), when reading narratives and attending to messages, multitasking marginally increased reading time but comprehension was not significantly affected.
“When reading narratives and attending to messages, multitasking marginally increased reading time but comprehension was not significantly affected.”
From Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance (2018) · cites this paper as Pashler et al., 2013
In Pashler et al. (2013), when audio narratives did not pause, interruptions reduced comprehension performance.
“However, when audio narratives did not pause, interruptions reduced comprehension performance.”
From Efficient, helpful, or distracting? A literature review of media multitasking in relation to academic performance (2018) · cites this paper as Pashler et al., 2013
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- Authors
- Pashler, H., Kang, S. H. K., & Ip, R. Y.
- Affiliations
- University of California San Diego (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pashler, Harold
- Venue
- Applied Cognitive Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-03-18
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 593-599
- ISSN
- 0888-4080 (ISSN-L)
- 1099-0720
- OpenAlex
- W1869073875
- Cited by
- 51
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
- FWCI
- 8.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Applied Cognitive Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Decision Sciences › Information Systems and Management › Personal Information Management and User Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Keywords
- multitasking, reading comprehension, audio narratives, interference
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