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Supertaskers: Profiles in extraordinary multitasking ability.

Jason M Watson1, David L Strayer

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Utah, 380 S. 1530 E. RM 502, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. jason.watson@psych.utah.edu

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|August 13, 2010
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Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Most drivers show performance deficits when talking on a cell phone while driving. However, a small percentage of "supertaskers" remain unaffected, demonstrating exceptional attention and cognitive control.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Human Factors Engineering
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Driving while talking on a cell phone is a common dual-task scenario.
  • Theoretical models predict performance decrements in such situations due to attentional demands.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate individual differences in performance when driving and performing a concurrent cognitive task.
  • To identify the prevalence and characteristics of individuals who are not impaired by dual-tasking.

Main Methods:

  • 200 participants completed driving and auditory operation span (OSPAN) tasks in both single- and dual-task conditions using a high-fidelity simulator.
  • Performance metrics for driving and OSPAN tasks were analyzed to identify decrements.

Main Results:

  • The vast majority of participants exhibited significant performance decrements in dual-task conditions.
  • A small subset of participants (2.5%), termed "supertaskers," showed no performance impairment.
  • Supertaskers consistently scored in the top quartile on all measures in single-task conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Significant individual differences exist in the ability to perform demanding tasks concurrently.
  • The existence of "supertaskers" challenges the universality of dual-task interference and highlights superior attentional and cognitive control abilities.
  • These findings advance our understanding of attention and cognitive control in real-world settings.