Explore the vast range of titles available.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0332580.].

The biopsychological response patterns to digital stress have been sparsely investigated so far. Important potential stressors in modern working environments due to increased digitalization are multitasking and work interruptions. In this study protocol, we present a protocol for a laboratory experiment, in which we will investigate the biopsychological stress response patterns to multitasking and work interruptions. In total, N = 192 healthy, adult participants will be assigned to six experimental conditions in a randomized order (one single-task, three dual-task (two in parallel and one as interruption), one multitasking, and one passive control condition). Salivary alpha-amylase as well as heart rate as markers for Sympathetic Nervous System Activity, heart rate variability as measure for Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) activity, and cortisol as measure for activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis will be assessed at six time points throughout the experimental session. Furthermore, inflammatory markers (i.e., IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and secretory immunoglobulin-A) will be assessed before and after the task as well as 24 hours after it (IL-6 and CRP only). Main outcomes will be the time course of these physiological stress markers. Reactivity of these measures will be compared between the experimental conditions (dual-tasking, work interruptions, and multitasking) with the control conditions (single-tasking and passive control). With this study protocol, we present a comprehensive experiment, which will enable an extensive investigation of physiological stress-responses to multitasking and work interruptions. Our planned study will contribute to a better understanding of physiological response patterns to modern (digital) stressors. Potential risks and limitations are discussed. The findings will have important implications, especially in the context of digital health in modern working and living environments.

The present study examined the relationship between personality and individual differences in multi-tasking ability. Participants enrolled at the University of Utah completed measures of multi-tasking activity, perceived multi-tasking ability, impulsivity, and sensation seeking. In addition, they performed the Operation Span in order to assess their executive control and actual multi-tasking ability. The findings indicate that the persons who are most capable of multi-tasking effectively are not the persons who are most likely to engage in multiple tasks simultaneously. To the contrary, multi-tasking activity as measured by the Media Multitasking Inventory and self-reported cell phone usage while driving were negatively correlated with actual multi-tasking ability. Multi-tasking was positively correlated with participants' perceived ability to multi-task ability which was found to be significantly inflated. Participants with a strong approach orientation and a weak avoidance orientation--high levels of impulsivity and sensation seeking--reported greater multi-tasking behavior. Finally, the findings suggest that people often engage in multi-tasking because they are less able to block out distractions and focus on a singular task. Participants with less executive control--low scorers on the Operation Span task and persons high in impulsivity--tended to report higher levels of multi-tasking activity.

Multitasking (MT)–performing more than one task at a time–has become ubiquitous in everyday life. Understanding of how MT is learned could enable optimizing learning regimes for tasks and occupations that necessitate frequent MT. Previous research has distinguished between MT learning regimes in which all tasks are learned in parallel, single-task (ST) learning regimes in which all tasks are learned individually, and mixed learning regimes (Mix) in which MT and ST regimes are mixed. Research using simple laboratory tasks has consistently shown that MT regimes are the most efficient–the so-called dual-task practice advantage . However, it is currently unclear which learning regimes are used in everyday life, and which regime people would prefer if given a choice. To answer these questions, 72 participants completed an online survey to describe their real-life experiences of MT learning (e.g., when learning to drive), their opinions about learning MT activities, and filled out the Multitasking Preference Inventory to assess polychronicity. Descriptive statistics showed that for everyday activities, particularly learning to drive, Mix regimes were both the most used and most preferred method, whereas MT regimes were the least preferred. A potential explanation is that everyday MT tasks are typically complex, and so people prefer to learn the individual tasks first, before combining the tasks into an MT learning regime. Preference to engage in MT, as assessed by the MPI, positively correlated (Pearson’s r = .24) with preference for MT learning regimes, suggesting that individual differences in learning of complex everyday MT activities can be determined. In conclusion, everyday life multitasking activities such as learning to drive are mostly learned in Mix regimes, i.e. a combination of ST and MT training, and people’s preference to learn such activities with MT regimes increases with their level of polychronicity.

How are women entrepreneurs transforming and challenging traditional understandings of professional success in the 21st century, despite the multitasking whirlpool? What type of knowledge and skills are required in today’s digital world to develop professionally and succeed as an entrepreneur? What are the major barriers to successful entrepreneurship preventing women from realizing their full potential or stopping them from even beginning an entrepreneurial career? A current literature review (2011–2019) on women’s entrepreneurial initiatives, skills, characteristics, attributes, motives and leadership styles, documenting strategies for success and barriers confronted, indicates that not much has changed. Women entrepreneurs continue to face the multitasking whirlpool, along with the lack of financial resources, marketing skills and support services, including poor access to business networks, technology and digital markets. Despite the mass entry of women in exclusively male domains, glass ceilings have not been shattered. Then again, developed and developing nations have come to understand that women’s entrepreneurial activities contribute to socioeconomic growth and utilizing the full potential of all human resources is essential for sustainable development. Studies of the 21st century—as those of the late 20th century —continue to spotlight gender gaps in entrepreneurship as well as the so-valued career–family balance, while still arguing that further research is needed. They also agree that successful entrepreneurship requires digital skills along with the drive for innovation. The successful entrepreneur, or to use a term and concept coined by Elias G. Carayannis and McDonald R. Stewart (2013), the “distinguished entrepreneur” regardless of gender, is an innovator; a visionary; a person who predicts and shapes the future; takes initiatives; accepts change, risk and failure; learns from it; and sees what others do not see, among other things. Accordingly, this study presents snapshots of lives changed and empowered. It includes the work and narratives of “distinguished” (Carayannis & Stewart 2013) women entrepreneurs who have made a difference. Is it not time to shed some light on inspirational role models, especially those who are excelling in the startup world, the Blue Economy and the Silver Economy?

According to a popular stereotype, women are better at multitasking than men, but empirical evidence for gender differences in multitasking performance is mixed. Previous work has focused on specific aspects of multitasking or has not considered gender differences in abilities contributing to multitasking performance. We therefore tested gender differences (N = 96, 50% female) in sequential (i.e., task switching) and concurrent (i.e., dual tasking) multitasking, while controlling for possible gender differences in working memory, processing speed, spatial abilities, and fluid intelligence. Applying two standard experimental paradigms allowed us to test multitasking abilities across five different empirical indices (i.e., performance costs) for both reaction time (RT) and accuracy measures, respectively. Multitasking resulted in substantial performance costs across all experimental conditions without a single significant gender difference in any of these ten measures, even when controlling for gender differences in underlying cognitive abilities. Thus, our results do not confirm the widespread stereotype that women are better at multitasking than men at least in the popular sequential and concurrent multitasking settings used in the present study.

Multitasking has garnered interest from scholars as a method to boost daily efficiency at work. In this research we developed a model of multitasking based on the opportunity-threat framework and the binary work passion model. We proposed that multitasking could either reduce procrastination through harmonious work passion (opportunity) or increase it through obsessive work passion (burden), and examined the moderating role of employees' internal control in these two pathways. We obtained self-reported data from 450 employees of firms based in Shanxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, and Xinjiang, China, at two time points. Using the bootstrapping method, we tested the hypotheses. The results showed that internal control positively moderated the relationship between multitasking and harmonious work passion, and negatively moderated the relationship between multitasking and obsessive work passion. These findings indicate that multitasking can stimulate harmonious work passion and reduce procrastination, and can intensify obsessive work passion and procrastination. Theoretical insights and practical recommendations are provided for effective management and utilization of multitasking.