Analysis Of Divided Attention By David Glenn

14, 16). Throughout his essay, Damon parallels these arguments of logic along with emotion to gain a response from the audience.

Clay shirky, a professor at NYU brings this matter to life through his article “Why I just asked my students to put their laptops away” provides us with a more in-depth look at this issue. Shirky states that “People often start multi-tasking because they believe it will help them get more done. Those gains never materialize; instead, efficiency is degraded. However, it provides emotional gratification as a side-effect.” Although the students are set out to improve using multi-tasking, shirky believes that they are in fact worsening with this view on

Multitasking, helpful or harmful? In Alina Tugend’s “Multitasking Can Make You Lose…Um…Focus”, Tugend explores multitasking in several ways. Explaining how we as humans sacrifice focus “shifting focus from task to task gives illusion that we’re simultaneously tasking”. Also, how our brains react to operating and trying to do more than one task at once. Only one or two visual stimulants can activate our neurons at one particular time. Lastly, how we can recreate boundaries and cope with everyday life and multitasking. Tugend reiterates several times the importance of one task at a time so we as humans can effectively complete tasks to the best of our abilities instead of giving partial focus and not efficiently completely a task. Multitasking is very beneficial at times, but more often there are significant downfalls; it is crucial we learn how to manage the downfalls of juggling tasks, events, conversations, and daily events.

In the essay “Multitasking can make you lose … Um … Focus” Alina Tugend exams why multitasking can make you lose focus. Tugend explains what multitasking is in the first section she also explains why it is bad. She then brings in a professor to explain how multitasking works in a scientific way. Alina Tugend then uses case studies to show how multitasking can cause loss of focus and impairment in motor activities. She then shows how multitasking can actually delay your progress on completing projects by constantly switching to different tasks. Tugend then sums it all up by trying to teach us how to better ourselves and to not multitask.

Through proving that we are not always correct, and reminding the audience that different people can have different views of reality, Wallace is able to use logical reasoning to show that humans have the ability to change their perspectives.

In “Multitasking Can Make You Lose...Um...Focus,” Alina Tugend examines the negative aspects and many disadvantages that occur through multitasking. Tugend begins by stating that multitasking is the norm for today’s fast paced society; however, in reality it is pulling focus from the task at hand. The author continues on to cite various researchers who express that the brain cannot simultaneously do two tasks at once and is actually just flipping back and forth between tasks rapidly. Although multitasking seems like a time efficient method, Tugend reveals, it is actually creating a large amount of stress and pressure on the individual. Furthermore, the author notes that multitasking actually pulls away from the task at hand creating a great time loss. Tugend even goes on to explain that multitasking is proving to be bad for innovation by not allowing an individual to think in depth about one task for an extended period of time. With Tugends article in mind I agree that multitasking puts a lot of stress and pressure on the individual, creates a loss in time, and is awful for innovation.

Throughout the beginning of his argument, Green uses great amounts of emotional appeal to initially convince his audience to accept his ideas. Green understands that he first needs to show the audience that he understands their hesitations. Only then can he truly illustrate how passionate he is about their continued

In Carr’s argument he discusses that he has recently found something is wrong with his brain, and that is most noticeable while he is reading. He identified that he now has a difficulty concentrating, which he never experienced in the past. Next, Carr quickly switches topics and determines that the reason for his brain issue, is because he has spent an immense amount of time online, and does not give any other implications that something else could of caused this. In this instance, Carr is demonstrating the frame breaking strategy. This strategy goal is to shift focus from the object of attention to the context that object is in and vice versa. One type of strategy that Carr utilizes is Cause to effect. Pullman defines this strategy as when something bad happens, people will go straight to reassigning blame. When it might be a better idea to solve the problem regardless of the cause. Carr failed to mention any other type of probable causes to his brain problem which ultimately weakened his argument.

Many people take pride in the fact that they can multitask. A study “Task Switching” conducted by Monsell concluded that multitasking, or switching

In this modern era, it has become commonplace to try and accomplish as many tasks as possible as quickly as possible in order to be more efficient. With the help of technology, many believe that multitasking is becoming a required and helpful skill. Multitasking is actually a detrimental habit. Multitasking divides a person's concentration in order to attempt to complete multiple actions. Even though in the end the tasks are all finished, the quality of the finished task and the time required to finish all the tasks makes multitasking very inefficient. In addition, this division of concentration is causing many people to not pay attention. For most, multitasking is a disadvantageous skill that should not be encouraged as a valid

While students feel they are great at multitasking, studies show that they actually perform academically at a lower level than those who do not multitask. A study was conducted by a respected research lab in Stanford University. Clifford Nass, a professor of communications at Stanford University, introduces us to a study conducted on carefully-selected high chronic students who multitask (Digital Nation). The experiment was structured for students to identify numbers as odd or even, letters as vowels or consonants. Professor Nass wanted to test how quickly these students can switch tasks without losing focus. The results showed that people who multitask are slower than those who do not multitask. While slower does not mean horrible, it should raise a sign that if they had focused on their work only they would get better scores in their respective studies. Sherry Turkle, in an interview, displayed the differences between two common multitasking activities: taking a break from your studies to stretch and surfing the web. Turkle says: “When you get up and stretch and take a walk around the block, you can stay with your problem. You can clear your mind; you can move your body. You can stay

Multitasking is a common technique used by most people that is thought to be a way of getting tasks done quicker. With the need for speed in today’s society there is more that has to be done in a minimal time. But what people do not realize is that when they cram their work into a limited amount of time, it can backfire altogether. Within this paper will be an explanation of the negative side effects that may come with multitasking such as stress, physical health problems, and frequently making mistakes.

Scientists have emphasised the crucial of the situation when individual is attending multiple tasks and has to pay attention to many aspects over the same period of time; which is termed as divided attention. Reisberg (2013) argued that the challenge to divide our attention varies based on the nature of the tasks; i.e. it is not always easy to effectively perform divided attention. He attributed this to two factors: the nature of the resources required to achieve these tasks and the resources available. Reisberg (2013) expanded that, when the tasks require resources of different nature, (e.g. listening to music and dancing, then divided attention is easily performed. In contrast, Reisberg (2013) continued, when these tasks are of the same nature, i.e. requires the same nature of resources, divided attention is far harder. For instant, listening to two or more people who are talking all together. However, Reisberg (2013), argued that practice can diminish resource demand and enhance dividing attention. He argued, for instant, that skilled drivers can talk on mobile-phone while driving without causing harm; whereas novice drivers still hardly manage the task of driving itself. Reisberg (2013) continued

Multitasking is becoming very significant on the workplace to complete the task in less time. In fact, some people believe that multitasking saves time and can be done at all together. On the other hand, some people think that it is a distracting activity which leads to a lack of concentration. According to David Silverman, “In Defense of Multitasking”, multitasking is “crucial to survival in today’s workplace” (522). However, I do not agree because multitasking reduces productivity, increases stress levels and it is, especially, problematic for students.

Through extensive research we are now able to see that multitasking is not an effective learning method, but is a bad thing to do.