A continuum, and preferences for degrees of engagement. At one extreme is the pattern of focusing on one task at a time, interpreting other potential tasks and events as interruptions and attempting to shield one's chosen task from such interference. The other extreme is actually open-ended, it involves engagement in several tasks simultaneously, sometimes literally simultaneously and sometimes in a frequent back-and-forth engagement pattern ( Bluedorn, 2002 ).
Published in Chapter:
Research Methodologies for Multitasking Studies
Lin Lin (University of North Texas, USA), Patricia Cranton (University of New Brunswick, Canada), and Jennifer Lee (University of North Texas, USA)
Copyright: © 2015
|Pages: 20
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-4666-7409-7.ch017
Abstract
The research on multitasking is scattered across disciplines, and the definitions of multitasking vary according to the discipline. As a result, the research is not coherent nor consistent in the approaches taken to understanding this phenomenon. In this chapter, the authors review studies on multitasking in different disciplines with a focus on the research methodologies used. The three main research paradigms (empirical-analytical, interpretive, and critical) are used as a framework to understand the nature of the research. The strengths and weaknesses of the research in each of the paradigms are examined, and suggestions are made for utilizing different research methodologies to bring clarity to the research in this field. Such an endeavour will help to build interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research and help guide future research and theory building.