Features of Media Multitasking Experiences
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
WP2 MEDIA MULTITASKING D2.3.3.6 FEATURES OF MEDIA MULTITASKING EXPERIENCES Media Multitasking D2.3.3.6 Features of media multitasking experience s Authors: Maria Viitanen, Stina Westman, Teemu Kinnunen, Pirkko Oittinen Confidentiality: Consortium Date and status: August 31st , 2012, version 0.1 This work was supported by TEKES as part of the next Media programme of TIVIT (Finnish Strategic Centre for Science, Technology and Innovation in the field of ICT) Next Media - a Tivit Programme Phase 3 (1.1.–31.12.2012) Version history: Version Date State Author(s) OR Remarks (draft/ /update/ final) Editor/Contributors 0.1 31 st August MV, SW, TK, PO Review version {Participants = all research organisations and companies involved in the making of the deliverable} Participants Name Organisation Maria Viitanen Aalto University Researchers Stina Westman Department of Media Teemu Kinnunen Technology Pirkko Oittinen next Media www.nextmedia.fi www.tivit.fi WP2 MEDIA MULTITASKING D2.3.3.6 FEATURES OF MEDIA MULTITASKING EXPERIENCES 1 (40) Next Media - a Tivit Programme Phase 3 (1.1.–31.12.2012) Executive Summary Media multitasking is gaining attention as a phenomenon affecting media consumption especially among younger generations. From both social and technical viewpoints it is an important shift in media use, affecting and providing opportunities for content providers, system designers and advertisers alike. Media multitasking may be divided into media multitasking which refers to using several media together and multitasking with media, which consists of combining non- media activities with media use. In this deliverable we review research on multitasking from various disciplines: cognitive psychology, education, human-computer interaction, information science, marketing, media and communication studies, and organizational studies. We review types of multitasking and address multitasking as a human ability, preference and practice. We aim to understand media multitasking by answering questions on ‘who’ multitasks, ‘what’ media and content is multitasked, ‘why' multitasking takes place driven by internal and external factors, ‘how’ multitasking is handled in terms of multitasking strategies, ‘when and where’ people multitask, and to what effects and experience multitasking contributes. Research results suggest that heavy media multitaskers are young, have practice in multitasking and are overall active media users. Working memory capacity and certain personality traits such sensation seeking traits have been shown to affect multitasking and its success. The computer is often at the centre of multitasking activities, while television takes a background role. New tablet devices enable individualizing even shared media experiences. Content modalities may be combined so as to not overlap or to overlap on purpose, heightening media engagement. Media multitasking is driven by external factors such as media accessibility and interactivity, as well as internal gratifications including habitual, affective and social motives. Heavy multitaskers are not necessarily better at multitasking, but those people with a preference for polychromic time use (i.e. doing multiple things at a time), perform better in multiple task situations. Multitasking has become a routine, de facto media consumption mode for many young consumers. People develop multitasking strategies to cope with multitasking demands, creating suitable media combinations, limiting the number of topics, and focusing their attention. Multitasking usually harms task performance but is still perceived as enjoyable due to affective gratification from juggling several tasks, content streams and possibly multiple modalities. We conclude by describing an ideal media multitasking experience as something which 1) settles into media routines and habits, 2) serves affective needs through involvement, 3) balances effective task performance with enjoyment, 4) enables convenient and easy handling of multiple media formats and tasks, 5) increases engagement with media through role and stimuli, 6) gives a heightened sense of control over media, and 7) facilitates combining individualized and shared media experiences. We also offer general guidelines for supporting multitasking through 1) user-controlled and natural task switching, 2) customizable presentation of multiple tasks, 4) optimal combinations of tasks and 4) training needed in order to maximize success in multitasking. WP2 MEDIA MULTITASKING D2.3.3.6 FEATURES OF MEDIA MULTITASKING EXPERIENCES 2 (40) Next Media - a Tivit Programme Phase 3 (1.1.–31.12.2012) Table of Contents Executive Summary .....................................................................................................2 1 Introduction .............................................................................................................5 2 Multitasking as phenomenon ..................................................................................6 2.1 Multitasking research in different fields ...........................................................6 2.2 Types of multitasking ......................................................................................7 2.2.1 Media multitasking ...............................................................................7 2.2.2 Computer-based multitasking ..............................................................7 2.2.3 Concurrent and sequential multitasking ...............................................8 2.2.4 Multitasking information behavior .........................................................8 2.3 Views on multitasking......................................................................................8 2.3.1 Multitasking as human ability ...............................................................8 2.3.2 Multitasking as a preference ................................................................9 2.3.3 Multitasking as practice ...................................................................... 10 2.3.4 Methods for studying multitasking ...................................................... 11 3 Understanding media multitasking ........................................................................ 12 3.1 Who multitasks? ............................................................................................ 12 3.1.1 Demographics .................................................................................... 12 3.1.2 Polychronicity and practice ................................................................ 12 3.1.3 Cognitive capacities and personality .................................................. 13 3.1.4 Overall interactive media use ............................................................. 14 3.2 What do people multitask? ............................................................................ 14 3.3 Why do people multitask? ............................................................................. 16 3.3.1 External factors .................................................................................. 16 3.3.2 Internal factors ................................................................................... 17 3.4 How do people multitask? ............................................................................. 18 3.4.1 Task switching ................................................................................... 18 3.4.2 Coping with multitasking .................................................................... 20 3.5 When and where do people multitask? ......................................................... 21 3.6 Multitasking experience and effects .............................................................. 22 3.6.1 Effects on productivity and performance ............................................ 22 3.6.2 Effects on cognition and behavior ...................................................... 23 3.6.3 Multitasking experience ...................................................................... 23 3.6.4 Models of multitasking ........................................................................ 24 4 Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 28 4.1 Development of the media multitasking phenomenon................................... 28 4.2 Features of ideal media multitasking experiences ........................................ 29 4.3 Supporting multitasking ................................................................................. 30 5 References ........................................................................................................... 32 WP2 MEDIA MULTITASKING D2.3.3.6 FEATURES OF MEDIA MULTITASKING EXPERIENCES 3 (40) Next Media - a Tivit Programme Phase 3 (1.1.–31.12.2012) List of Acronyms and Abbreviations HCI Human-Computer Interaction IPV Inventory of Polychronic Values MMI Media Multitasking Index MPAI3 Modified Polychronicity Attitude Index 3 MPI Multitasking Preference Inventory PMTS Polychronic-Monochronic Tendency Scale U&G Uses and Gratifications WP2 MEDIA MULTITASKING D2.3.3.6 FEATURES OF MEDIA MULTITASKING EXPERIENCES 4 (40) Next Media - a Tivit Programme Phase 3 (1.1.–31.12.2012) 1 Introduction Media multitasking, consuming more than one media simultaneously, is an upcoming research topic. Moreover, it is argued to be a rapidly growing style of consuming media due to societal and technological changes. Multitasking is the human ability to handle the demands of multiple tasks simultaneously (Lee & Taatgen, 2002). Within the