Multitasking Across Generations

Multitasking Across Generations

Lyzette Blanco & Dr. Larry Rosen California State University,

Dominguez Hills

Generations

Net Generation (ages 11-28) Born after 1980

Generation X (ages 29-43) Born between 1965 and 1979

Baby Boomers (ages 44-62) Born between1946 and1964

IntroductionKaiser Family Foundation National Study (2006) of children

and teens 8 to 18-years-old

Children/Teens spend 6 hours and 21 minutes per day or 44 hours a week using digital media.

When multitasking is taken into consideration the time increases to 8 hours 33 minutes a day or 60 hours per week using digital media.

MultitaskingWebster’s Dictionary: The concurrent performance

of several jobs by a computer.

STUDY 1 DEMOGRAPHICS

GROUP SAMPLE SIZE

MALES FEMALES Asian Black White Latino/

a

Net Generation

(1980 +)Under 29

678 42%-58% 22% 17% 27% 35%

Generation X(1965-1979)

29-43329 43%-57% 17% 22% 33% 28%

Baby Boomers

(1946-1964)44-62

312 39%-61% 7% 21% 52% 21%

DAILY TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA USAGE

TECHNOLOGYHOURS/DAY

NET GENERATION GENERATION X BABY BOOMERS

Online 2:31 1:58 1:14

On Computer 2:08 2:32 1:41

E-Mail 1:26 1:37 1:14

IM/Chat 1:45 0:36 0:14

Telephone 2:02 1:47 1:38

Texting 2:20 1:07 0:28

Video Games 1:08 0:31 0:13

Music 3:33 2:35 1:44

Television 2:37 2:12 2:25

TOTAL DAILY TECHNOLOGY USE 20:38 14:55 7:51

TOTAL NUMBER OF TASKS DONE DURING “FREE TIME”

Multitasking With Free TimeTop 5 Activities for Each Generation

NET GENERATION GENERATION X BABY BOOMERS

Music (79%) Eating (78%) Eating (80%)

Online (75%) Music (72%) TV (67%)Eating (74%) Online (68%) Music (64%)

Texting (60%) TV (62%) Telephone (52%)E-Mail (60%) E-Mail (59%) Online (50%)

STUDY 1 RESULTS SUMMARY There is a difference in how much members of the

three generations multitask during “free time.”

During “free time” generation members multitask using different media devices.

The tasks chosen require minimal amounts of working memory (e.g., eating, listening to music, etc.)

STUDY 2: PURPOSE To assess how much time members of each generation

use a variety of technology and media.

To assess how individuals within each generation multitask under three conditions: During Free Time While Studying for a Final Exam the Next Day While Preparing an Important Business Report

that is Due the Next Day

To assess whether the multiple tasks that are performed by the generations are similar or different in these three conditions.

Study 2 Demographics

GROUP SAMPLE SIZE

MALES FEMALES Asian Black White Latino/a

Net Generation(1980 +)Under 29

534 44% - 56% 11% 17% 30% 41%

Generation X(1965-1979)

29 to 43 339 44% - 56% 7% 21% 34% 38%

Baby Boomers(1946-1964)

44 to 62328 41% - 59% 9% 23% 36% 32%

Daily Technology Use Among Generations

TECHNOLOGYHOURS/DAY

NET GENERATION GENERATION X BABY

BOOMERSF-Score

Online 2:37 2:04 1:20 41.62***

On Computer 2:37 2:25 1:44 12.76***

E-Mail 1:41 1:56 1:28 4.84***

IM/Chat 1:51 0:39 0:18 74.14***

Telephone 1:56 1:53 1:33 4.17*

Texting 2:49 1:23 0:29 94.80***

Video Games 1:01 0:33 0:13 33.53***

Music 3:56 2:28 1:42 78.51***

Television 2:32 2:20 2:38 2.01

TOTAL DAILY TECHNOLOGY

USE21:01 15:41 11:26 85.28***

MULTITASKING UNDER THREE CONDITIONS

TOP 5 TASKS MULTITASKING WITH FREE TIME

NET GENERATION GENERATION X BABY BOOMERS

Music (79%) Eating (78%) Eating (80%)

Online (75%) Music (72%) TV (67%)

Eating (74%) Online (68%) Music (64%)

Texting (60%) TV (62%) Telephone (52%)

E-Mail (60%) E-Mail (59%) Online (50%)

MANOVA RESULTS:Generation F(2, 1195) = 20.89, p<.001Task x Generation F(22, 13145) = 12.97, p<.001

MULTITAKSING WHILE STUDYING FOR A FINAL EXAM

NET GENERATION(N=392)

GENERATION X(N=80)

BABY BOOMERS(N=28)

Music (57%) Eating (78%) Music (43%)

Eating (52%) Music (36%) Computer (32%)

Texting (38%) Computer(29%) Eating(29%)

Computer (35%) Texting (16%) Online(18%)Online (30%) E-Mail (15%) E-Mail (18%)

MANOVA RESULTS:Generation F(2, 494) = 7.57, p<.001Task x Generation F(22, 5434) = 1.54, p=.054

MULTITASKING BY AN EMPLOYEE WRITING AN IMPORTANT REPORT

NET GENERATION(N=345)

GENERATION X(N=284)

BABY BOOMERS(N=254)

Music (52%) Music (42%) Music (34%)

Eating (40%) Eating (33%) Eating (26%)

Online (35%) Online (25%) Computer (21%)

Texting (32%) Computer (25%) E-Mail (21%)Computer (28%) E-Mail (23%) Telephone (19%)

MANOVA RESULTS:Generation F(2, 877) = 9.85, p<.001Task x Generation F(22,9647) = 5.23, p<.001 [Pillai’s Trace]

SUMMARY & IMPLICATIONS Clearly, tasks that require more working

memory allow less multitasking. This supports research by Konig et al. (2005) and Buhner et al. (2006) who found that working memory is the best predictor of multitasking performance

Even with tasks that require more working memory, however, all groups multitask, just with a reduced number of tasks.

SUMMARY & IMPLICATIONS Multitasking with free time was directly related

to generation with the Net Generation multitasking more than Gen X who in turn multitasked more than Baby Boomers.

This replicates and validates work done by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Jeong & Fishbein (2007) that multitasking is directly related to age.

MORE IMPLICATIONS Each generation had similar and different tasks chosen

for multitasking which are most likely related to their differential use of media (e.g., Net Generation kids use text messaging more than any other generation so that is one of their top 5 choices for multitasking).

This validates earlier research (Carrier et al.; 2008) who found generational differences in ease or difficulty of multitasking

A DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUE

According to research by Luciana et al. (2005), the maturation of the prefrontal cortex -- the part of the brain that controls executive control including multitasking – is not complete until 18 years of age.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX AND MULTITASKING

A separate analysis of 62 subjects under 18 showed that they claimed to do an average of 6.47 tasks during free time compared to 6.23 for those Net Generation teens and young adults (18-29). Although this difference is not significant, it is of interest that the youngest subjects multitask the most in spite of an under-developed prefrontal cortex.

6.47

6.23

6.1

6.2

6.3

6.4

6.5

Under 18 18-29

LIMITATIONS These studies did not measure multitasking performance,

only self-reported multitasking under different conditions. Another study should be done to measure multitasking

performance. A pilot study, replicating the dichotic listening studies by

Cherry (1953) showed small, but consistent evidence of multitasking performance among 18-25 year olds and is being replicated and expanded to include subjects younger than 18.

Thanks to the following people who have been involved in this research: Dr. L. Mark Carrier, Associate Professor of

Psychology Nancy Cheever, M.A., Assistant Professor

of Communications Sandra Benitez, B.A. Heather Ruoti, B.A. Abraham Guttierez, B.A.