So You Think You Can Multitask?

This page was updated on: August 10. 2017.

If you think you can pay attention in class or do your homework while you check your text messages you are probably mistaken, according to a 2009 study at Stanford University. 

In fact, here are some other results of the study:

• College students who routinely juggle many flows of information fared significantly worse than their low-multiasking peers.
• Students who multitask the most are the ones who are worst at it. "Heavy multitaskers are lousy at multitasking ... The more you do it, the worse you get." (topnews.us)
• There is evidence that multitasking may weaken cognitive ability.

So please turn off your cell phone when you come to class and when you are studying outside of class!

Don't just take my word for it ... click on any of the links below to learn more about the study.

"Media Multitaskers Pay Mental Price" (Stanford University News Service, August 24, 2009)

"Multitasking Muddles Brains, Even When the Computer is Off" (www.wired.com, August 24, 2009)

"Study: Multitaskers Bad at Multitasking" (CBS News, August 25, 2009)

"Multitasking May Not Mean Higher Productivity" (National Public Radio, August 28, 2009)

"Students Who Use Social Media Score Lower in Math, Reading and Science"  (PBS Newshour, August 19, 2016)

There is also research to suggest that smartphone use - especially social media use - is changing the behavior of teens and young adults and is having an adverse impact on their mental health.

"Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation"  (The Atlantic, September 2017).