According to a new study, people who believe they can multitask
effectively are the least likely to be able to do so. Researchers
recruited 277 undergraduate students and asked them to complete a series
of questionnaires. One of the questions asked the students to rank
their multitasking ability relative to other students. Approximately 70
percent of them claimed they were “above average” at multitasking.
However, the study found that the students who chronically multitasked
and overestimated their multitasking abilities were the least capable of
doing it effectively. Data suggest that people multitask because they
struggle to focus on one task at a time.
