Individual differences in working-memory capacity and task resumption following interruptions.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Task interruptions incur a resumption lag, a time cost that increases with interruption duration.
• The memory-for-goals model posits that longer interruptions cause greater interference, leading to increased resumption lag.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if working-memory capacity (WMC) influences task resumption speed after interruptions.
• To determine if individuals with higher WMC can mitigate the negative effects of interruption duration on task resumption.

Main Methods:

• A procedural interruption task was administered to 229 students.
• Interruption durations varied, and participants completed a working-memory capacity (WMC) measure.
• Resumption lag and its relationship with interruption duration and WMC were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A positive correlation was confirmed between interruption duration and resumption lag.
• Working-memory capacity (WMC) had a significant negative effect on resumption lag.
• WMC moderated the interruption duration-resumption lag relationship, attenuating the effect for high-WMC individuals.

Conclusions:

• Higher working-memory capacity (WMC) is associated with reduced task resumption lag.
• Individuals with high WMC are less susceptible to interference from task interruptions.
• WMC plays a crucial role in efficient task resumption following periods of interruption.