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the claim
Multitasking reduces productivity because switching between tasks imposes cognitive switching costs.
the verdict
CONTESTED PARTIAL
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7 sources for · 2 against
Is it true that multitasking reduces productivity because switching between tasks imposes cognitive switching costs?
Partly. Several studies report that task and media switching imposes cognitive costs and is associated with poorer task efficiency, though most cover only specific populations such as students or software developers. A replication in software development and a coal-mining study found no productivity loss or even gains from multitasking, so the evidence only partially supports the general claim.
Verdict: CONTESTED PARTIAL · 7 sources for, 2 against · Last checked
Evidence for · 7
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Weis, P. P. & Kunde, W. (2022). Switching between different cognitive strategies induces switch costs as evidenced by switches between manual and mental object rotation. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.31219/osf.io/z3shb
Evidence against · 2
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Kohl, K., Vasilescu, B., & Prikladnicki, R. (2020). Multitasking Across Industry Projects: A Replication Study. arxiv.org. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2006.12636
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More for · 6
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Daniel, B. & Donna, B. (2019). Introspection Is Not Always Blind to the Costs of Multitasking: The Case of Task Switching. eric.ed.gov. https://doi.org/10.1037/xlm0000635
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Patel, A. (2026). Digital Fragmentation: The Cognitive Costs of Rapid Media Switching. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6511741
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Abad, Z. S. H., Karras, O., Schneider, K., Barker, K., & Bauer, M. (2018). Task Interruption in Software Development Projects: What Makes some Interruptions More Disruptive than Others?. arxiv.org. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1805.05508
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Patel, A. (2026). Digital Fragmentation: The Cognitive Costs of Rapid Media Switching. doi.org. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.6542061
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Lossless Multitasking: Using 3D Gestures Embedded in Mouse Devices. (2016). hal.science. https://doi.org/10.1109/SVR.2016.27
Deep Thinking Increases Task-Set Shielding and Reduces Shifting Flexibility in Dual-Task Performance
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Rico, F. & Bernhard, H. (2012). Deep Thinking Increases Task-Set Shielding and Reduces Shifting Flexibility in Dual-Task Performance. eric.ed.gov. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2011.11.015
More against · 1
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How Multi-Tasking Job Designs Affect Productivity: Evidence from Australian Coal Mining Industry. (2011). ssrn.com. https://ssrn.com/abstract=1945264
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