3. “Multitasking with media is defined
as engagement in several
concurrent activities at least one of
which is related to media use”
(Kononova, A. et al.)[4]
Ex. using your cell phone while
eating dinner
“Engaging in multiple media
activities simultaneously,
including multiple windows
on a single media platform
and/or multiple media” (Lee,
Jennifer et al.). [6]
“Simultaneous engagement
with multiple media at a
particular instance of time”
(Voorveld, Hilde A. M. and
Vijay Viswanathan) [12]
Photograph by Ovan
5. • Availability of new media forms and options is rapidly increasing and media users have less time to explore
each medium exclusively resulting in (Kononova, A. et al.).[4] This is a case that would be
extremely prevalent in a [9] .An example of this would be the increase in audiobook
consumption through smartphones. This makes it convenient, thereby promoting media multitasking. This
could include listening to an audiobook while driving to work. [7]
• It’s become important that ads adjust for digital Canadian’s front-loaded attention spans, which drop off
quickly. The short attention span can be said to be a direct result of being surrounded by so many different
media platforms.[5]
Photograph by Chris Beckett
6. • “Today media minutes is ”[7]. In today's media environment, people have access to
numerous media platforms and often engage with more than one medium at a time (Voorveld,
Hilde A. M. and Vijay Viswanathan).[12]
• An example, would be how people behave in a multiscreen environment. In front of a
television with their phone, people tend to pick up and use their phone during television
commercial breaks. People are becoming effective at multitasking.[5]
Photograph byWilliam Hook
7. People continuously engage in [8] This is
extremely prevalent in who have seemed to
have adopted media multitasking as a .[6]
8. The way young people use media is changing dramatically. There is
anecdotal evidence suggests that media multitasking is becoming
more common.[3]
Photograph by Chris Beckett
9. Teens are spending more time
engaging in
simultaneous media use than
ever before.
of
media time is spent on
,
up from of media
time in .
(Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
10. The . It promotes multitasking by providing natural breaks in work and regular
interruptions. Youth today have grown up with the computer and therefore are more likely to engage in media
multitasking.[3]
11. “I usually check my email and I have an online journal and so I’ll write in that, chat
with my other friends, and if I have little things to do around the house then I can
do it [while instant messaging] because unless it’s somebody that responds
quickly, then I can just go around and do something real quick and come back.” –
High School Female (Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
Photograph by Marcie Casas
12. “I’m always talking to people through instant messenger and then I’ll
be checking email or doing homework or playing games AND talking
on the phone at the same time.” — 15-year-old girl (Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
“I multitask every single second I am online. At this very moment,
I am watching TV, checking my email every two minutes, reading
a newsgroup about who shot JFK, burning some music to a CD and
writing this message.” – 17-year-old boy (Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
Photograph by Plymouth District Library
13. “I do more than one thing at once [while online] because my connection is so slow. If I dedicated
my attention to one webpage, I’d go crazy waiting for it to load every time.” – High School Male
(Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
“I get bored if it’s not all going at once, because everything has gaps – waiting for a
website to come up, commercials on TV, etc.” – 17-year-old girl (Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
Photograph byViktor Hanacek
15. POSITIVE IMPACTS
• There are a few positive outcomes of media multitasking such as, , ,
and [4]
• Further research may show that the ability to manage media multitasking is a valuable
[3]
• Media users are learning at young age how to at once,
and in creative ways[3]
16. NEGATIVE IMPACTS
Overall, multitasking with media can be perceived as bringing ,
(distraction and procrastination), , and
(‘disengagement’,) (Kononova, A. et al.) [4]
17. Brain research shows
that there are limits to
how much our brains can
process at once. We
retain less information
when we perform more
than one task at a time
(Lee, Jennifer et al.) [6]
Psychology Professor at the
University of Virginia who has
studied reading and listening
comprehension, said that
multitasking compromises a
listener’s attention, unless the
task is truly automatic. (Alter,
Alexandra) [1]
18. Studies have
shown that engaging in media
multitasking is associated with
[4]
“We are not capable of
simultaneously engaging more than
one network if it demands attention,
and so our brain switches between
the networks. With each switch there
is a , which may
present itself as being slowing or with
” (Raymond Rush,
Ilene) [10]
“Our brains can't do more than
one thing at a time. What we are
really doing is switching rapidly
between tasks, which can
and
”(Raymond Rush,
Ilene) [10]
Photograph by Dierk Schaeaefer
Research showed media
multitaskers tend to perform
such as memory,
attention and distraction
resistance [10]
19. Multitasking may also
affect the
(Foehr, Ulla G.) [3]
Photograph by University of Portsmouth Students' Union's Photostream
20. Many students believe that they can engage
in media multitasking by doing homework
while using another media platform without
any loss in performance. They believe the
contrary, that it helps them concentrate. [2]
What could actually be occurring is that
the students are unaware of their loss in
performance level unless the task makes
them physically incompatible or it is
mentally demanding or a time constraint
is given. [2]
In a study conducted by teen researchers
it was found that most teens perform
better when focussing on a single task [11]
Photograph by Ganymede
21. • Students were not fully capable of comprehending just how many times and how long they spend
glancing between each task such as homework and television.[2]
• The brevity of students' looks to either media identified them primarily as “monitoring” and
“orienting” looks in which only occurs (Courage, Mary L. et al.) [2]
22. CALL TO ACTION
It is evident that younger generations need to better understand the
repercussions of engaging in media multitasking. They need to
understand that although there are some positive outcomes, they
are minimal and do not outweigh the negative outcomes. The
younger generations need to learn to be able to step away from
technology and engage in one task at a time.
23. WORKS CITED
[1] Alter,Alexandra. "The New Explosion in Audio Books; how they Re-Emerged as a Rare Bright
Spot in the Publishing Business."Wall Street Journal (Online), NewYork, N.Y.,
2013.http://search.proquest.com/docview/1416700089?accountid=6180.
[2] Courage, Mary L. et al. "Growing Up Multitasking:The Costs And Benefits For Cognitive
Development". Developmental Review, vol 35, 2015, pp. 5-41. Elsevier BV,
doi:10.1016/j.dr.2014.12.002.
[3] Foehr, Ulla G. "Media Multitasking Among AmericanYouth: Prevalence, Predictors And
Pairings.". Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 2006, pp. 1-5. http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED527858.
[4] Kononova,A. et al. "Multitasking Goes Global: MultitaskingWithTraditional And New
Electronic Media And AttentionTo Media Messages Among College Students In Kuwait, Russia,
AndThe USA". International Communication Gazette, vol 76, no. 8, 2014, pp. 617-640. SAGE
Publications, doi:10.1177/1748048514548533.
[5] Krashinsky, Susan. "Advertisers Cash In On Attention Spans Of Digitally Savvy Canadians". The
Globe And Mail, 2015, http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/industry-
news/marketing/microsoft-study-looks-at-attention-span-of-digitally-savvy-
canadians/article24359527/.
24. WORKS CITED
[6] Lee, Jennifer et al. "The Impact Of Media Multitasking On Learning". Learning, Media And
Technology, vol 37, no. 1, 2012, pp. 94-104. Informa UK Limited, doi:10.1080/17439884.2010.537664.
[7] Matrix, Sidneyeve. "Books". 2016, Queen’s University, Kingston. Lecture.
[8] Matrix, Sidneyeve. "Media Convergence, Media Use". 2016, Queen’s University, Kingston. Lecture.
[9] Matrix, Sidneyeve. "Media Effects". 2016, Queen’s University, Kingston. Lecture.
[10] Raymond Rush, Ilene. "Proud Multitaskers Beware:You Could Be SabotagingYourself". Philly.Com,
2016,
http://www.philly.com/philly/health/20161016_Proud_multitaskers_beware__you_could_be_sabota
ging_yourself.html.
[11] Reddy, Sumathi. "Teen Researchers Defend Media Multitasking; Doing Homework with Music,
Texts,TweetsWorks Better for some."Wall Street Journal (Online), NewYork, N.Y.,
2014.http://search.proquest.com/docview/1610794735?accountid=6180.
[12]Voorveld, Hilde A. M. andVijayViswanathan. "An Observational Study On How Situational
Factors Influence Media MultitaskingWithTV:The Role Of Genres, Dayparts,And SocialViewing".
Media Psychology, vol 18, no. 4, 2014, pp. 499-526. Informa UK Limited,
doi:10.1080/15213269.2013.872038.
