Previous studies have concluded that multitasking reduces concentration and has a negative effect on outcomes. A new study done by two high-school seniors, however, shows that some teens actually perform better while multitasking. Sarayu Caulfield (17-years old) and Alexandra Ulme (18-years old) analyzed more than 400 teens and concluded that about 15% of the participants performed better when working with distractions that included music, email, and a smart phone.
Their work won them second-place in the behavioral science category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles this spring. To learn more about their project, read the Wall Street Journal’s Teen Researchers Defend Media Multitasking.
