Task Interruptions
Abstract
We review both the theoretical and applied research on task interruptions. We provide a brief task analysis of interruptions and resumptions, discuss how and why they are disruptive, and show how multiple theories attempt to explain the interruption and resumption process. We also review a great deal of the empirical work and show how it fits into previous theoretical accounts. Finally, we discuss what factors make interruptions more or less disruptive as well as theory-based recommendations for reducing the disruptiveness of interruptions.
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Commonly held views hold that batched email is uniformly preferable to instantaneous servicing of emails.
“This is in contradistinction to commonly held views that batched email is uniformly preferable to instantaneous servicing of emails14.”
From Stress and productivity patterns of interrupted, synergistic, and antagonistic office activities (2019) · cites this paper as [14]
Cites
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Recovering From Interruptions: Implications for Driver Distraction Research
Monk, C. A., Boehm-Davis, D. A., Mason, G., & Trafton, J. G. (2004) · Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society · doi:10.1518/hfes.46.4.650.56816 · Cited by 204 · see citing works
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Contextual cues aid recovery from interruption: the role of associative activation
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Multiple Resources and Mental Workload
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Traditions of research into interruptions in healthcare: A conceptual review
McCurdie, T., Sanderson, P., & Aitken, L. M. (2017) · International Journal of Nursing Studies · doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2016.11.005 · Cited by 37 · see citing works
Effects of task interruption and background speech on word processed writing
Keus van de Poll, M., & Sörqvist, P. (2016) · Applied Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1002/acp.3221 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
Stress and productivity patterns of interrupted, synergistic, and antagonistic office activities
Zaman, S., Wesley, A., Silva, D. R. D. C., Buddharaju, P., Akbar, F., Gao, G., Mark, G., Gutierrez-Osuna, R., & Pavlidis, I. (2019) · Scientific Data · doi:10.1038/s41597-019-0249-5 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Forgetting during interruptions: the role of goal similarity
Piątkowski, K., Beaman, C. P., Jones, D. M., Zawadzka, K., & Hanczakowski, M. (2024) · Journal of Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1080/20445911.2024.2313570 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
- Authors
- Trafton, J. G., & Monk, C. A.
- Venue
- Reviews of Human Factors and Ergonomics
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-11
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 111-126
- ISSN
- 1557-234X
- 2163-3134
- Cited by
- 127
- References
- 10
- Language
- en
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