Working memory capacity predicts effective multitasking

The increasing frequency of student multitasking during study has raised concerns about its impact on their learning outcomes. To address this, performance on an academic task was examined. Students were instructed either to attend to two simultaneous sources of information (text article, documentary video) for later test or to attend to the text but ignore the video. To assess individual differences potentially related to multitasking success, students' working memory capacity, polychronicity, and self-perception of multitasking effectiveness were included in regression analyses. Finally, the generality of successful multitasking on the study task to performance on a simulated making breakfast task was examined. The results showed: (1) students who attended to two sources during study showed poorer retention of material from both; (2) students who ignored one source performed as well as controls who studied without distraction; (3) successful multitaskers had large working memory capacity, preferred multitasking, and were confident in their multitasking effectiveness; (4) successful multitaskers on the study task were not necessarily successful on the breakfast task; and (5) only working memory capacity was common to both tasks. Results are discussed in terms of task and individual characteristics that underlie effective multitasking. Students who attended to text and video content had poorer recall from both media.Students who could ignore the video learned as much as undistracted students.Working memory, preference, and confidence in success identified good multitaskers.Good multitaskers during study were not always most effective on the breakfast task.Only working memory capacity was common to success on study and breakfast tasks.