Journal
COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR
Volume 28, Issue 4, Pages 1526-1532Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.03.022
Keywords
Media multitasking; Task switching; Mindfulness; Mindful flexibility; Cognitive flexibility; Creativity
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With the insatiable demand for and corresponding burgeoning of electronic devices enabling individuals to accomplish many things simultaneously, effective multitasking may be a necessity in today's world. The present study was concerned with the improvement of media multitasking by increasing mindful flexibility through a state mindfulness induction (Langer, 1989). Seventy-five participants were randomized into one of three state mindfulness induction groups (High Mindful, Low Mindful, No Treatment). Multitasking performance was assessed via a dual-task paradigm that involved composing an essay on a computer and solving anagrams sent via a browser-based chat program. Results revealed that higher trait mindfulness was related to greater tolerance of ambiguity, a greater tendency to adopt a Heuristic than Algorithmic thinking style, greater complexity in thinking style, greater positive affect, and less negative affect. Although the state mindfulness inductions did not differentially affect multitasking performance across the three groups, trait mindfulness predicted the performance of individuals in the No Treatment group. Overall, the study suggested that younger individuals and individuals who have a dispositional tendency to remain implicitly or explicitly aware of multiple perspectives of a situation are better at media multitasking. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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