Critical Thinking Journal/Summaries

     Sarah D. Sparks wrote an article entitled Studies on Multitasking Highlighting Value of Self-Control.  The article talks about teens and multitasking.  The people of my generation tend to rely on electronics a lot to stay updated on whatever they find important or interesting.  This means they are constantly checking these devices for updates, messages, or social media.  Some of these people think they can multitask and do this while doing other things such as studying or homework.  Larry D. Rosen, author of iDisorder: Understanding Our Obsession With Technology, found that on average, 13-18 year olds tend to use more than six types of media simultaneously (“Studies on Multitasking Highlighting Value of Self-Control”).  Though they may think they can, that is not exactly true.  The brain cannot focus on two things at one time.  When trying to do two or more things at once, it usually takes a longer time to finish.  This can be especially difficult when trying to take notes, study, or do homework.  If a student doesn’t have their full attention on the teacher, they are liable to miss something important the teacher has said.  Another example would be trying to study and answering a text message.  Mr. Steven G. Yantis, chairman of the psychological and brain sciences department at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, says, “If you are reading a chapter and have to answer a text message, your attention is on the chapter.”  When a text message goes off, the student has to move their attention to the phone, read and understand the message, and respond.  Then they have to return to whatever it is they were studying (“Studies on Multitasking Highlighting Value of Self-Control”).  In 2009 there was a study by Stanford researchers called the Marshmallow Test.  Researchers sat down with preschoolers and put one marshmallow in front of them.  They told the preschoolers they could either eat the one marshmallow now, or they could leave it there and not eat it for 15 minutes, and get a extra marshmallow so they would have two.  The kids that had the patience and self-control to wait and get the extra marshmallow ended up getting better grades than those that went ahead and ate the one marshmallow.  That shows that people that can focus, have self-control, and think long term are more successful in life.  If people don’t multitask and think of the benefits that will come from just focusing on what’s important, they are more likely to be successful in whatever they are doing.

     I multitask a lot, or at least what I think is multitasking.  I tend to do most things while listening to music.  For example, I listen to music while washing dishes and getting ready for school in the morning. Sometimes I even listen to music while doing homework.  I feel like when I do things while it’s completely quiet, my mind wonders off and I end up not completely focusing on what I’m doing.  I always like to have some type of noise in the background.  Not a noise that’s too loud, just loud enough for me to hear it and know it’s there.  According to Sarah D. Sparks’ Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control says, “The brain can’t be in two places at once.”  This means, a person can’t really be completely focused on two or more things at once.  Their focus will only be on one thing and anything else is a distraction.  This explains why I usually get things done faster when it’s quiet and I’m only focused on the task at hand.  The music or whatever I have going on in the background is nothing but a distraction. 

                                          Works Cited

Sparks, Sarah. "Studies on Multitasking Highlight Value of Self-Control." Education Week. 15 May 2012. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.