Sunday, February 27, 2011
Multitasking
I hated to cut off our debate on multitasking, as it was getting quite interesting (but we had to move on to other things), so I am going to let you pick it up here. Which side are you on, is multitasking really possible, or do we only trick ourselves into thinking we're multitasking? Or (because we're going to talk about false dichotomies this week) is it a more complicated issue than that? Remember that arguments are rarely black and white. As usual, 250 word post up by Thursday night (03/03) and 100 word response up by Sunday night (03/07).
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I think that there is such thing as multitasking but I think its definition is sometimes misinterpreted. For example, if you are eating breakfast and watching the news at the same time, or listening to music while cleaning your room, you are literally doing more than one thing at one time and therefore you are multitasking. However, if you are sitting down to get done all of your homework for different classes you may be accomplishing multiple things in a period of time but you are not doing them at the same time. Just like it’s impossible to think about two things at once. You may be thinking about a lot of things but it’s one after the other not at exactly the same time. I think we tend to trick ourselves into thinking we are multitasking because we get over stressed and need to have an excuse. Multitasking in most cases is simply a figure of speech for being really busy. The debate could go many ways, but I believe it’s just a term that tends to get over used and therefore has lost its true meaning. I don’t think multitasking is always effective. Sometimes it may be efficient but the quality of the task probably will not be as good as it can be. Taking one thing at a time is a more productive route to take rather than juggling too many things at once.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that actual multitasking, that is doing multiple tasks at one time, is possible for anyone to do. Yes, there are instances in which you can be doing multiple things, but your mind is actually only focused on one task. I know that for me, when I have an important task, I cannot have any other activity going on because my mind focuses on the other activity instead of what is most important. Even right now for example, I had music on and I had to turn it off because I could not focus my thoughts on this blog post. Even the slightest of distractions throws off my focus. People may believe that they can study and listen to music, but in truth, those who study without music usually perform better on the exams. Take for example eating and watching television. Yes, you are accomplishing each at the same time, but if I actually think about what happens when I do this, I am not actually doing them at the same time. When I go to take a bite, my mind focuses completely on the food and not the television at all. I can hear the television in the background, but I am not really listening to it. Then when I go to watch the television again, my thoughts turn away from the food and, although I know it is there still, I am more aware of the television. Overall, it is possible to accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, but not actually think about each one at the exact same time.
ReplyDeleteYes there is a thing as multitasking. It is an acquired skill though. The more a person multitasks the better they will become at multitasking. I don’t think anyone is born a great multitasker, you have to build on the skill. I don’t think multitasking is a complicated subject. Either you can or you can’t. With today’s bustling society, we are forced to become multitasking freaks. Most of the time we never even realize we are multitasking. It is just another wonderful plus to living in a fast paced society. If we don’t multitask then eventually we are slowed down to a pace that will get less done. We as humans want to achieve so much in so little time. Especially when your time in not your own. You have work, school, kids and family to juggle and focus your attention on. Life is a moving target and we are shooting at it in a million different directions. Life is short and there for we need to make the most of our precious time and multitask to achieve our goals. Not saying that every single second should be focused on trying to multitask either. We would give ourselves heart attacks by the time we are 20 if we did that. All I am saying is that it is possible to multitask. We may not think we are but I feel like I am always in a million different places and doing a million different things all at once. By the end of the day I always feel accomplished.
ReplyDeleteTo Mackenzie:
ReplyDeleteI am a little confused by your end statement. You say that yes people can do multiple tasks at once yet that’s not considered multitasking? I am not sure of this, but to be considered multitasking, do you really need to be focusing on everything at one time or can your mind wander? Usually when I multitask my mind is never really focusing on what I’m doing more or less I am just doing random things all at once and when my mind snaps out of this parallel I notice I did a bunch of things. Like cleaning the house for example, I run through the house picking up stuff, cleaning, dusting, sweeping all at once. I am multitasking but I am just in cleaning mode, never really thinking about every single thing I do. I just feel like you don’t necessarily need to be thinking about each individual thing while trying to multitask.
Multitasking seems to be a hot topic in our class. I can’t believe that there are actually people in this world who believe that it does not exist, that people are unable to do it. Multitasking is definitely something that exists. I believe that humans were born with the ability to multitask, even from the dawn of time. It is a basic survival instinct that helps humans to be able to accomplish many tasks at once, for example, in the early ages, humans had to hunt for food or game while being aware of their environment and not being hunted themselves.
ReplyDeleteWomen are very good at multitasking. Take for example new mothers. These women are able to take care of a young child while continuing on with the life they lead before having a baby. Another example of excellent multitasking is a student. I personally find myself being able to do many things all at one time, such as talking on the phone, writing a paper and listening to music.
I see multitasking as more of a skill than anything. Maybe people who are good at multitasking have a more developed brain, or that they have a greater level of intelligence or a better memory than those who are not as good at it. Multitasking is a skill that should be looked at further and developed. Being able to do more than one task at once would help in everyday life, people would be much more efficient and be able to accomplish much more on a day-to-day basis.
In response to Amber:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that there is such thing as multitasking. I also like your take on how the definition can be misinterpreted. It is true that multitasking is another term for being very busy. And it is also a term that is overused. Maybe it is just a term that helps people believe that they are being efficient and think that they are making more time for themselves, when truly they are not. I do find myself in those scenarios constantly, where you think you are being efficient by doing many things at once, but when they are completed and edited, I find that the quality is much more poor than if I had just taken one task at a time.
I believe that multitasking is correlates greatly with time management skills. If people were to manage their time better, then maybe they would feel less of a need to multitask.
I do think multitasking is possible. I listen to music when I do homework all the time. I can sing a song and do math problems with out and errors. I also can drive and sing music. Driving and signing and two completely different tasks and I can do them simultaneously. In class you said that multitasking doesn’t exists that instead we switch from one thing to another. If this was true and I switched from driving to singing than I would have been in about a thousand car accidents. People who work at restaurants have to constantly multitask. They have to: serve food, pour coffee and tea, take orders, and pick up the bill and or tip. If they only did one thing at a time they would take forever and that’s bad service. If you have ever been to a restaurant with good service its because the staff is multitasking. Its true that some people cant multitask with everything. I can’t read and listen to music at the same time but my friend can. He says he can’t read without listening to music. Listening to music and reading are two different tasks also; he has to listen to the lyrics of a song and concentrate on reading. He seems to do this perfectly with out and difficult but if his mind switched back and fourth he would of sung the wrong lyrics or not fully read a page in the book. But he doesn’t because he sings the songs fully and gets A’s in his reading quizzes.
ReplyDeleteTo Amber M.
ReplyDeleteThat’s because you can’t physically write on more than one paper at a time so you cant finish more than one homework assignment at a time. You cannot think about two things because your mind is fully focused on one thing. The quality can still be good if you multitask, I know when I do my homework I listen to music and get all my homework done to an A perfection. I say if you can do more than one thing at a time then do it because you will get everything done in a fast time.
I defiantly believe that multitasking is possible and that everyone accomplishes some type of multi tasking every day. It may be something simple like talking on the phone and making food at the same time, or it could be a more difficult task like doing homework, trying to watch a TV show, and eating your dinner. I think that in our generation multitasking has risen. There is only so much time in a day, and a lot of work might need to be done. I do not think that multitasking is just a black and white argument. I do think it is true that when a person is multi tasking they are not given 100% to each separate activity they are trying to complete. But if someone was to complete each task separately who knows how long it would actually take him or her. Multi-tasking is the way to accomplish more than one thing in a time period. It gives people the ability to have a list of task and complete them in a day. I absolutely disagree with the fact that we trick ourselves into multitasking. Everyone is capable of multitasking if they choose it is not something that is make believe and we as people just think we are doing. Multitasking can be a complicated issue but is defiantly not something that is impossible. It may take some work to get multiple tasks done at once but everyday multitasking is done. It may be in the workplace or at home but somewhere, someone is mastering the skill.
ReplyDeleteTo Megan,
ReplyDeleteI agree when you say that multitasking is an acquired skill. I think also that it is something that you have to work on. It is defiantly something that takes practice and you do need to build on it. It is not something you can just wake up with and have the amazing ability to complete any task at the same time. Multitasking is something we are forced to deal with because of our hectic lives. I also agree with the comment about our fast pace lifestyles. People multitask all the time and do not even realize it. It is like multitasking has become part of our nature. Multitasking is defiantly something that is possible, your are so correct when you say people have so many tasks to juggle in heir life and multitasking does make things easier to accomplish. It is not something that is necessary 24/7 but you are right to say it gives a sense of accomplishment when multiple things are done.
I believe that there is such thing as multitasking. Although your brain might not be able to technically do two things at once, I think people are able to manage more then one task at a time. For example when I am babysitting I am able to feed the baby while I am talking on the phone. Another example is when my sister brother and I were younger we were all very close in age. My mom was always able to handle more then one task at a time. If she had to go food shopping she could pay attention to us while she was looking at her list of what to get. She did not have to leave us at home with a babysitter so she could just focus on shopping; she was able to do both. This kind of behavior may not be well-organized since you are not putting all of your attention into one task, but I think days can get overwhelmed when you have a lot to do, and sometimes you feel like you need to be doing two things at once in order to get everything done. Maybe not everyone is capable of doing this but I am completely certain that I can. I believe it is a skill that develops over time. For example, you cannot ask a five year old to color while he recites the alphabet. However if you were to ask a older individual to do this I am sure he or she could.
ReplyDeleteI do believe that there is a way for people to multitask, some better than others. I have known several people that not only hold a conversation with other people, but they do other things as well. For the longest time in high school, I was always made fun of cause I could walk and read a book at the same time. I was able to effectively dodge people, walk down stairs and through doors (sometimes opening them myself) while still very much into whatever story I was reading. I remember being told several times by my friends that I needed to look where I was go despite the fact that I knew exactly where I was and where I was going. As well as that, I am also a horseback rider and have been told several times that it is very much a multitasking sport. You must be able to not only direct the horse with your legs, you must be able to give accurate and corresponding hand movement along the reins that match with whatever your feet are doing. For example, when you want the horse to canter, you would pull one side of the reign and kick with the opposite foot to ensure they picked up the right lead to make it easier on the horse when they canter. In addition to this, you must also be able to look ahead of you and to the sides without really turning your head too much. You need to look straight ahead with minimal head turning to ensure your not adding extra weight to the horse (your head alone weights ten pounds). To be able to do all the hand and leg movements required to get the horse doing the commands your asking, as well as being able to think out your next move and where you want the horse to go and what you want it to do...all of these things being done at the same time must be something akin to multitasking.
ReplyDeleteI believe multitasking may be possible to a certain degree. Personally, I can’t talk and type (or text) at the same time. However, I work as a shift manager at Burger King and one of the big things we have to control is the Speed of Service. The SOS is recorded and compared to other stores in the district, which determines how well the store is doing and if the store deserves any bonuses. In order to keep SOS low, we have to make sure customers get in and out of the drive-thru as quickly as possible while maintaining good customer service. During a rush, as a manager, I often have to help with drive-thru, front counter, and main board (where they make the sandwiches). This means that I am taking orders, expediting food, taking the money from the customers, and dropping food into the fryers. I often have to be aware of at least three customers at the same time also. It may get tough sometimes, but my store is the second best in the district. I’m sure someone is bound to say that it is not multitasking, but so be it. If it isn’t multitasking, is it more than just switching back and forth between various tasks quickly? Following the false dichotomy theory, maybe we are able to “multitask” with several tasks as long as they share a common element. For example, if we type what someone is saying, we are both listening and typing, but the words are all the same. Something to think about, right?
ReplyDeleteTo Rees:
ReplyDeleteI’m glad someone appreciates the work people in restaurants do! haha, just kidding. Anyways, in high school I was always able to do math while watching TV or listening to music. In fact, I believe I usually texted during and between problems, while figuring out the next step, and it always seemed to help me. Reading about how your friend has to listen to music in order to read is odd—I can’t do that either! Maybe multitasking is unique to each person, just as someone’s personality is supposed to be. Maybe no two people are able to multitask in exactly the same way with exactly the same tasks. If we are really able to multitask at all, that is!
Multitasking is not really possible, though you can do different tasks at the same time, but with your attentions one each on a whole. We blink, breathe, and swallow all at the same time, but know realizes this. Our bodies tend to synchronize different activities at a time but we are not aware of it. I tend to not listen to music at times when I am doing homework because in the end I will have to read over what my eyes were just glimpsing and have to fully intake what I was supposed to be reading. We would all love to multitask to get things done quicker than usual. Right now, I am posting this comment and also doing my math homework online. See, that is multitasking, but I am giving my attention to one thing at a time. Scientist have said that we only use 10% of our brains, so imagine what we would be doing if we were straining it to supposedly “multitask”. It can be a contradiction for some people who may have succeeded in doing several things at the same time, but in the end the tasks may not have been up to the standards if they were carefully giving the individual attention that they needed. Women also have the upper hand in multitasking because of course we are awesome, awesome, and did I mention awesome. We tend to have the ability to convert our undivided attention to one of the tasks that we are doing.
ReplyDeleteTo Carissa,
ReplyDeleteI have witnessed employees in several fast food restaurants where they are scrambling to get everyone’s orders while performing other job-related duties. It does not look easy and in the end, they at times forget to put our orders in our bags, get angry or even to place the order. Multitasking can be a hassle to deal with but in truth can be overwhelming. I may walk and text at that the same time if it is less than 5 words. But if it is more, I try to pull to the side of the sidewalk and finish my texting.
I think that multitasking is a more complicated concept than we think. Okay, so scientifically, maybe we aren't multitasking, but have you ever watched a mother of three make breakfast, talk on the phone, serve breakfast, get her kids ready for school, and prepare herself for a day of work? I've seen that every growing up. My mother was the perfect multitask-er. While, this may be making things less efficient, when a mother is taking care of her kids, these things all have to be done at once. It's not like she can take the time to prepare herself for work, and ignore her kids. I think that if humans are just very good at tricking ourselves into thinking we are multitasking,and we're really just switching focuses quickly, than it's quickly enough to consider that we're doing them at once. There may be milliseconds between switching our focus, but honestly, is this really enough time to think that we're doing completely different tasks at different times? I don't think so. I think that, even if we are switching our focus, that the time between is so minuscule that it shouldn't even be considered in the reality of things. Scientifically, maybe we're not actually multitasking, but in reality, how many of us consider the scientific-ness of the every day things that we're doing? Honestly, I think that there is a gray area. I don't think that it's this or that. While multitasking may be scientifically impossible, I don't think the time between our switched focuses constitute not doing things at the same time.
ReplyDelete@kathleen
ReplyDeleteI love the point you made about early humans. That wasn't something I considered in the idea of multitasking. It's really something interesting to consider. I mean, that's probably why humans have been able to survive as a species. The ability to protect themselves while also gathering/hunting food. So essentially, multitasking could have helped us become what we are today.
I also love the concept of multitasking being a skill that is better developed in people who are better at multitasking. Some people are awful at multitasking, while others are great at it, and what makes some different than others? The development in the brain is a great explanation for that.
I honestly do not care about this subject at all. I find it to be an extremely insignificant argument that has no major impact on anything. I really do not see why it is such a big deal to know whether or not we can do multiple things at the same time. Either we can multitask, or we are actually just switching from task to task very rapidly. Either way, we are still getting the same exact things done as we always do, no matter what you believe on the subject. My stance on this issue is that people should not waste time arguing about a subject, which is trivial in my personal opinion, when there are much more important issues in society right now. Even if everyone in the world could be convinced to agree on which side of this argument is correct, nothing in our daily lives would really change at all. I think people should spend their time trying to solve more life-impacting problems such as world hunger, poverty, and religious freedom, to name a few. So to everyone who gets heated about this issue - put that energy and enthusiasm into solving a problem that will really change society and/or the world in some major, positive way, rather than wasting it on something that does not really matter in the least.
ReplyDeleteAnd just for the sake of sticking to common sense and intelligence, when looking at an argument, you should always consider factual, scientific evidence and not only a personal bias.
@DRusso
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about how we do not usually consider scientific evidence when going about our daily lives. I think that multitasking is just a slang term that we use for someone who is efficient at getting a lot of different things done in a very short period of time. We do not really care whether or not there is scientific-ness behind it or not. And it definitely is a grey area, which is probably why so many people are arguing about it. I just think our time could be much more well-spent doing other things (like "multitasking" and getting stuff done haha).
To Ashley Sisley,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your statement that some people are better than others at multitasking. In both cases of reading and walking as well as horseback riding, it seems possible for you, but I also think it takes a certain person to be able to do those things. I know that, personally, I would not be able to walk down the hallway and read while dodging people, but this might just be because I would also get distracted by what others are doing. I am not the type of person to that is able to focus on more than one thing, but it is very cool that some people can.
I don’t think multitasking is possible. I can remember times where I sent a text to someone while I was in the middle of doing something else. I have to pause what I’m doing to write the text. If I try to do both at the same time I don’t remember what I wrote in the text even just a couple seconds after. Another example is when you’re talking to someone in person and they are texting. They don’t respond to you or hear what you said. They always say, “Hold on” or “what did you say?” I know every one has seen this happen or been that person to not be able to focus on what someone is saying to you while writing a text at the same time. Plus, that is just a simple two things to do at one time, which proves the theory even more. The theory of the brain switching from one task to the other is very realistic. The brain can’t do two things at once. You are capable of being aware of many things around you but the brain was not built to focus on more than one thing at a time. I was playing music while as I started this blog entry but then could not focus or put my thoughts into words and I worked at a much slower pace. Since I love music and can’t just zone it out like others can I never play it while doing homework or reading. Once I turned the music off I was able to get this done very quickly.
ReplyDeleteTo webble39:
ReplyDeleteI like how you take a scientific approach to the argument. You have a valid argument when talking about what our bodies can and can’t handle. It’s interesting that we only use 10% of our brains. I agree that we would all like to be able to multitask and effectively accomplish multiple things at once, but when trying to do this we just get ourselves worked up and stressed. I think we tend to set the bar way too high for ourselves. In reality, we can only do so much but we tend to try to force ourselves to accomplish more than we can handle. Attempting to multitask may work for some people, but I think overall we are better off talking one thing at a time. And of course women have the upper hand because like you said, we are awesome times 3.
Multitasking is defined as the carrying out of two or more tasks at the same time by one person. I definitely believe this exists. I often find myself doing more than one thing at a time, such as doing homework and listening to music, or driving and talking on the phone. In our busy lives, it is hard to spend all your time on only one activity at a time.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I also understand that multitasking might not be “technically” possible because our brain is unable to focus on multiple things at once and rather switches back and forth rapidly. I think that sometimes this is over thought and gets too technical. I think this is more of an opinion issue and doesn’t need to be proven “scientifically.” Whether multitasking is really possible is a debate that will probably go on forever, no matter what we say or what new research is found.
Each person also has their way or doing things effectively. I’m sure some people would rather do one thing at a time, but I’m the type of person who would rather do multiple things at once and get it over with. Although that may not be the most efficient way of doing things, I think that it works for me. I also think that multitasking is something that does not come over night, and takes some practice. There is no way I have enough time in a day to focus all of my attention on one particular thing.
To: Julie:
ReplyDeleteI also agree that the multitasking argument is not extremely important, because no matter what we are still going to be doing it anyway. This argument could go on forever, and it mostly solely based upon personal opinion. Whether it is scientifically possible doesn’t really matter. There are many similar arguments to this, that don’t really have a right or wrong answer. I also agree that there are many more important issues that need to be solved and much more relevant issues that rely on more than just personal opinion. Doing multiple things at once is always going to be a part of our busy lives.
@Mackenzie Simmonds
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you about multitasking not being a real thing the brain is capable of doing, and so do most scientists who have studied multitasking. There is no way for the brain to be completely focused on two things at once. And I also had music on when doing this blog and had to turn it off to focus. I don’t get how people can do homework with headphones in or even better do it to their best potential. Any work I do with distractions like music turns out pretty bad. There is no way I will do well on a test that I studied for while listening to music. You’re example of eating and watching TV at the same time is spot on. It is a great example of how you do not focus on two things at once but rather are aware of two things at once.
First of all I think that we already talked this topic to death in class but I will post my opinions anyways. As most people probably already know I strongly believe that people have the capability to multitask. I don’t think it is even possible to just focus completely on one task. People in this generation thrive on their ability to do many things at once, it allows us to get things done faster and more effectively. There are always distractions going on around you. I could be writing an essay while listening to music and having a conversation with my roommates all at once. I have done this so I know it is possible. I do understand that all of my attention is not focused on one thing but I don’t think that people would be able to function if they didn’t have the capability to do more than one thing at once. Think about when you are driving…..if you were only focused on the physical action of driving, you wouldn’t be able to focus on the drivers around you. I understand that people argue that this is simply switching focus from one task to another, but if that is the case I think what we are arguing about should not be called multitasking but the ability to have complete focus on more than one thing, which I know is impossible. I think that people need to stop thinking so technically about this and just step back and think about how slow everything would be if you could only do one task at a time.
ReplyDeleteto megan.ristic:
ReplyDeleteI believe that you and I have a very similar view on this topic. I like how you brought up the fact that it is an acquired skill. I had never really thought about this before. I do agree that the more you do more than one task the better you get at it. I have known some people that can not multitask for their lives and they never try to because they know they wont get anything done but for people like me....and most women.....it becomes just something that is part of our daily routine.
I don't think it is as black and white as that. When you study adaptive behavior in species, there is always an exception to that specific trait. I think this can transcend into human brain function as well. I think that the study you read to us by BBC, is a reliable enough source to bring validity to the research being done on the topic however, I think that is just a general trait that human beings do not possess. I would be curious to see additional research done. Like, the rate of speed in brain activity between different genders when switching one's attention. Also, if there is a peak age as to where this activity speed is highest. The argument a student raised in class that women possess multitasking abilities is interesting to me. Maybe it is not multitasking they possess, maybe their rate of speed between switching to different tasks is faster than that of the male. I think evolution may have played a role in that being the case. Women have played the role of more of a nurturer than the male in our species, so in order to adapt to being more alert while caring for a child, quicker brain response may have evolved over time. It's an interesting debate and I would be very interested in seeing further developments in this field.
ReplyDeleteCraig,
ReplyDeleteI am not sure driving and talking on the phone or listening to music and doing homework is technically considered multi-tasking. I don't know about you but if I am driving and talking/texting I notice my alert level on the road goes down significantly. My response time becomes slower as well, which is why I try not to do these things simultaneously. Listening to music and homework are also two things that conflict with one another for me. I find if I'm more focused on my homework, the music just kind of becomes background noise. When I focus on the music, my focus on homework drops significantly. I understand that some people are able to juggle multiple things at once, but giving each task your undivided attention, simultaneously is unimaginable to me. I think this is a debate that will never really find a common ground. I think agreeing to disagree might be the closest we can get.
What's my take on multitasking? Well, I believe that it is possible for a person to indeed multitask. Multitasking is defined by an individual appearing to handle more then one task at a time. Although psychologists would like to prove us wrong and say that humans are incapable because our brain can't fully focus on two or more things at once; I think it's safe to agree that humans multitask on a daily basis. We can be focusing on the road while driving but still listen to music and or talking to the person in the car. People can read and eat at the same time and even play a sport while on the phone. I do think multitasking is an ability that one can practice and learn. With our society growing more then ever and becoming more fast paced it's only naturally that humans multitask to keep up with time. To get everything done as quickly as possible and that means doing more then one thing at a time to accomplish all that needs to be done in a day.
ReplyDeleteTo Carissa,
ReplyDeleteFunny that you mention the restaurant business because those people are always and I mean ALWAYS multitasking. Like you said they need to take orders, remember what table ordered what, place the order, writing out the check and bringing the food in and out. Sometimes even cooking and cleaning. I mean to me this seems and sounds like multitasking. Clearly so much is on ones mind that everything just seems to come out at once. Your common element theory is one to ponder because I guess to a certain degree that does make absolute sense. For all we know psychologists will study that next. Should be interesting if they do.
I haven’t exactly taken a side on whether or not multiasking is possible. Like we have learned in class no argument is just black and white. Multitasking is what we say when we are doing many things at one time. The fact that it could just be us switching our focus really fast makes a lot of sense. I think that it is a great explanation of what multitasking is. Sure we aren’t focused 100% on everything at once but if we are doing so much and switching our focus that quick shouldn’t that be classified as multitasking? For instance, I’m watching tv right now while doing this and someone called me. It didn’t stop me from doing my work but did distract me from focusing on the tv, but I’m still multitasking, or switching my thoughts quickly.
ReplyDeleteI also think that the ability to multitask differs from person to person. I think that if you are really skilled in a few of the tasks you are doing then multitasking can come easy. When you are trying to focus on multiple things at once and you don’t enjoy them then obviously you wont be able to very good at multitasking. Its kind of like trying to think about two or three things at once. Try counting and singing the ABC’s at the same time, its pretty hard to do. After writing this I think I stand in the middle, I’m starting to think that multitasking is possible but its only possible when you can sufficiently switch focus fast.
I think multitasking is definitely something humans are capable of. However, I only think it is possible to multitask with certain things. For example, I play with my puppy while I do my homework. I don’t need to switch back and forth between the two tasks; I can do both of them at the same time with the same amount of effort I would give if I were only focusing one task at a time. I believe if the tasks are fairly simple and if they are something you are used to doing, it is one hundred and ten percent possible to do both at the same time. I do not think multitasking is something we are capable of when the tasks are difficult and fairly uncommon to us. Given these circumstances, I think we more so switch from task to task then doing both at the exact same time. In my opinion, when we think we are multitasking with more difficult activities we are just fooling ourselves. I can honestly say that if the tasks are not common to me or easy to do, I know I cannot do them at the same time without making several errors in both tasks. I have given up on trying to multitask on difficult and confusing things because I have found that even if I finish them quickly, I will have to go back to check both tasks and end up having to spend even more time fixing my errors then if I just did one of them at a time. So, in conclusion, yes I think multitasking is something we are capable of, but only on certain things.
ReplyDeleteResponse to Brittany.ives
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. I also stand in the middle of this situation; I think multitasking is definitely possible, but only with certain tasks. You also made a good point that I didn’t think of while I originally replied to this post. Everyone is different, so it makes sense to say everyone’s multitasking abilities are different as well. I also think it is true to say majority of people who think they are successfully multitasking are simply switching their thoughts back and forth rather quickly. In a sense, this could be classified as multitasking, but it’s not quite the same idea. I think this debate is something that will never have a clear end though, so maybe it’s best to let it be.
@DRusso
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with what you are saying about mothers being able to multitask. When I’m watching my brothers and I have to get them ready for school in the mornings, get myself ready, then make breakfast and bring them to school its a lot of work. If I simply did one thing at a time it would take so long. I often find myself with the stove on while I’m grabbing clothes for everyone to wear, then I have to help them get dressed while still focusing on making breakfast. I’m not focusing 100% on each task but I still think I’d be considered multitasking.
to kathleen:
ReplyDeleteI agree that the topic of multitasking was a hot topic in class but it is more of a skill than anything. To multitask proves someone has the ability and brain capacity to function and do multiple tasks at one time. Students are an excellent example of this, because even at times I find myself watching tv, talking with someone and doing homework all at the same time. But even though people can multitask, it doesn't prove they have more intelligence, thats only proven if the tasks that are performed are efficient.