How does multitasking impact IQ?
TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 2015 10:36 AM

With so many devices available today, people have the option (or perhaps the temptation) to watch TV, check their phone and browse the web simultaneously. Multitasking isn't a new concept, but modern technology has made it more prevalent in society - in fact, many kids argue that they can do homework with the TV on, an assertion most parents find suspect. What does science say on the matter? Does multitasking mess with IQ and concentration? A study from Stanford University attempted to find the answer.

Cognitive control and multitasking
Researchers studied 100 students, who were classified as either "heavy media multitaskers" or "light media multitaskers." The former tend to do many things at once involving media on a regular basis, whereas the latter group did so less often. Each participant had to complete a series of tests to discern their level of cognitive control, which is an executive function of the brain in charge of performing feats such as switching between two tasks, managing time and controlling working memory. While cognitive control does not directly predict intelligence, IQ tests do include sections devoted to memory. 

After having students complete tests, researchers discovered that high media multitaskers experience some disadvantages. For instance, they were more susceptible to interference from sources that were irrelevant to what they were doing (i.e., switching between tabs on a Web browser just because they were there), they were less able to filter information and performed worse on task-switching assessments. Overall, researchers noted high media multitaskers did not have cognitive control that was as good as light media multitaskers. 

"When they're in situations where there are multiple sources of information coming from the external world or emerging out of memory, [high media multitaskers] are not able to filter out what's not relevant to their current goal," Anthony Wagner, an associate professor of psychology at Stanford, and a study author, told Stanford News. "That failure to filter means they're slowed down by that irrelevant information."

Multitasking and intelligence
The study did not indicate whether people who multitask often experience a change in IQ, only that the practice interferes with cognitive control. However, the information is important. Basically, researchers concluded that those who do less at one time accomplish more. Their focus helps them complete tasks well and quickly. This can be a good takeaway for students and parents alike. In the argument of watching TV while doing homework vs. shutting off the media, the latter wins.