Summary of “Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control”
In “Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control” Sarah D. Sparks provides researched study about today’s generation of teenage using multiple media at once. She refers to the author of iDisorder that he found teenagers use about six media types while they are not studying. Sarah points out to the side effects of technology multitasking. It could lead to incomplete attention, as the brain cannot be in two places at the same time, and it slows down reaction time, according to Steven G. Yantis, the chairman of psychology and brain science department at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Yantis further explains, when decision-making is involved, the brain will take longer to react, and delays the second decision. In a different study Sparks points out that those who multitasked scored worse on memory tests. She also restated Professor Daniel T. Willingham that people do multitasking better at their early youth than when they get older, simply because the brain functions the best at that particular age. Sparks reinforces her essay by a researched study led by Mr. Rosen, a psychology professor at California State University, when they selected few students and started to text them during the tests. They found out those students who replied to all the texts received more than 10 percent lower than those who replied fewer times. She explained that students who control themselves and not answer texts during class are more likely to be successful, as she refers to researchers led by Fang-Yi Flora Wei, an assistant broadcast communications professor at the University of Pittsburgh's Bradford. She again points out to Mr. Yantis quote and explanation “If you are reading a chapter and have to answer a text message, your attention is on the chapter," and that the student will have to completely shift his attention from the book to answer that text or phone call. In a related topic, Sarah talks about the "marshmallow test" -a research study by Stanford University- and that the children who waited and have self-control were more successful in their school and career. The same marshmallow test concept applies to adults driving and texting. If you drive and don’t answer texts, you will get a reward, that’s your safety. Finally, she summed up her studies by explaining the need to develop the abilities to multitask and use it in modern day while she refers to the author of the 2011 book Now You See It, Ms. Davidson’s quote. "Where in the workplace do we ever do things silently and alone? We live in a connected world."
In a related experience to Ms. Davison’s quote, today I caught myself multitasking and connecting with people at the same time. I decided to go to the gym before my class starts. I went inside the gym and began my workout. As we all know, working out require focus. As I was performing my exercises, I got a video call from my best friends overseas. I didn’t want to stop my workout and answer them, nor did I want to ignore them. I answered the call, and we all were connected, talking and exercising at the same time. At the same time, I was talking to other co-workout partners in the gym, and I was answering text messages from other friends, not to mention posing every now and then to take a picture. It was insane. Time went by so fast. Next thing I know, it was time to go to class. When all these have finished, I recall those multitasking moments happened with me in the gym, and I figured one thing out. I didn’t work out well, because I lost focus, I don’t remember what was I talking about with my friends, and the pictures I took were horrible. My experience outcome from all this is, multitasking is about quality vs. quantity. If you want to get a task done in the best way, don’t multitask. But if getting more tasks done matters more, then perform multitasking.
Works Cited
Sparks, Sarah D. "Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control." Education Week. 15 May 2012. Web. 10 Nov. 2015. <http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/16/31multitasking_ep.h31.html?tkn=PTWFGpBwR5o7bKrnCvQZswL8Vr%2BlUoJB%2B62c&cmp=clp-edweek>