Is "multi-tasking" a myth?

I'm not a neurologist by any means, but I was just wondering - is multi-tasking a myth? I mean, could it be that we're really just switching tasks very quickly?

I was watching this documentary about the relationship between using a cell phone and driving at the same time. The documentary said that it really isn't possible to use and talk on a cell phone while being able to drive at the same time. All you're really doing is quickly switching tasks.

What do you think?

 

Well, there are people that can write sentences with one hand and draw a picture with the other. What do you call that?

 

I can breathe and pump blood throughout my body at the same time.
Not talking about autonomic processes?

I can talk to people and do schoolwork at the same time.

 

Downloading music, posting on sythe, and playing runescape what would you call that

 

Multitasking is a myth.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

 

No.

If multi-tasking is a myth, What else would you describe someone's action or ability to do multiple tasks at once?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking

According to Wikipedia, Talking on your mobile phone while driving is indeed, Human Multi-tasking.

Such Documentary are made up to create controversy and doubt. Be it "multi-tasking" or "Switching between tasks very quickly", Which sentence would you actually use in a conversation when such things relating to the subject occurs in your daily life?

Scientists should be working on much bigger problems instead of trying hard to prove whether a word is a myth or not.
That is indeed, A waste of time and resources.

Not to mention the fact that the article has been around since 2008 and up till date, I've not heard nor seen any updates or changes to the word "Multi-tasking".

 

Here is the first sentence from the link you provided.

Human multitasking is the performance by an individual of appearing to handle more than one task at the same time.

 

Isn't talking on the phone and driving at the same time considered as "handling more than one task at the same time"?

 

No, apparently not. It is us switching our attention from one task to another very quickly. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

 

I choose to believe in what has been around for years instead of something that was created in year 2008.

"Multi-tasking" is not a myth. The part where it makes no sense is the fact that you can perform multiple tasks at the "SAME TIME".

There is Insufficient information to show evidence that "Multi-tasking" is a myth.

A simple article with scientific pictures are not gonna cut it.

 

This board is not about what you believe. http://sythe.org/showthread.php?t=476986


When presented with much information, the brain is forced to pause and refocus continuously as one switches between tasks .[7] Realistically, this is “a rapid toggling among tasks rather than simultaneous processing.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_multitasking

While physically you can be shown to be doing multiple things at once, at the cognitive level you are not.

 

You're missing the point.

Before I post further, I would like you to answer everyone's question / doubts first, excluding mine.

 

No, people can do multiple things at one time.

 

A coconut can observe that someone is breathing and moving their fingers at the same time; that clearly isn't what is being discussed. Scientists learning more about the brain isn't a waste of time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appeal_to_tradition . I've provided proof, you've provided nothing... You have no basis for your argument.

 

I fail at single tasking. I can't write OR draw without getting distracted. So, I'd say its a myth.

 

i have about 4 psych experiments saved somewhere that indicate while multi-tasking, which is obviously possible, people cannot function at the same efficiency and output than if you did the two tasks separately.

tl;dr no you cant.

ill try and find the files and post them here, no guarantees though.

 

I can itch my hand constantly whilst whistling at the same time. I believe that would count as multi-tasking, thus it exists..

 

No one said anything about "Coconut" and yes obviously that clearly isn't what is being discussed, Have you not been reading?

That being said, Multi-tasking is not a myth as the people here have all failed to prove otherwise. Especially when one talks about a "Coconut".

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=95256794

multitasking is a myth. You see, I just proved otherwise.

It doesn't matter if something looks like it's true... the earth looks like it's the center of the galaxy, but that doesn't mean it is.

 

Hmm this is not mult-tasking. This are reflexes of ur body