Channel (broadcasting)

Neuroscience

Perception

Dual (grammatical number)

Computer network

Automaticity

Operating system

Literature

Epistemology

Philosophy

Cognition

Embedded system

Cognitive psychology

Management

Psychology

Economics

Interference (communication)

Computer science

Task (project management)

Bottleneck

Simple (philosophy)

Process (computing)

Psychological Bulletin

People often have trouble performing 2 relatively simple tasks concurrently. The causes of this interference and its implications for the nature of attentional limitations have been controversial for 40 years, but recent experimental findings are beginning to provide some answers. Studies of the psychological refractory period effect indicate a stubborn bottleneck encompassing the process of choosing actions and probably memory retrieval generally, together with certain other cognitive operations. Other limitations associated with task preparation, sensory-perceptual processes, and timing can generate additional and distinct forms of interference. These conclusions challenge widely accepted ideas about attentional resources and probe reaction time methodologies. They also suggest new ways of thinking about continuous dual-task performance, effects of extraneous stimulation (e.g., stop signals), and automaticity. Implications for higher mental processes are discussed.

Dual-task interference in simple tasks: Data and theory.