New Book - Multitasking in the Digital Age

Morgan & Claypool is proud to announce the latest title in our series on
Human-Centered Informatics (HCI).  We will be at CHI 2015 "Crossings" in
Seoul, Korea and welcome you to visit the HCI publisher, Diane Cerra in our
booth.

 

Multitasking in the Digital Age
Gloria Mark, University of California, Irvine
ISBN (Print): 9781627057493
ISBN (eBook): 9781627057509
March 2015, 115 pages
http://dx.doi.org/10.2200/S00635ED1V01Y201503HCI029

 

Abstract:
In our digital age we can communicate, access, create, and share an
abundance of information effortlessly, rapidly, and nearly ubiquitously. The
consequence of having so many choices is that they compete for our
attention: we continually switch our attention between different types of
information while doing different types of tasks--in other words, we
multitask. The activity of information workers in particular is
characterized by the continual switching of attention throughout the day. In
this book, empirical work is presented, based on ethnographic and sensor
data collection, which reveals how multitasking affects information workers'
activities, mood, and stress in real work environments.

 

Multitasking is discussed from various perspectives: activity switching,
interruptions as triggers for activity switching, email as a major source of
interruptions, and the converse of distractions: focused attention. All of
these factors are components of information work. This book begins by
defining multitasking and describing different research approaches used in
studying multitasking. It then describes how multiple factors occur to
encourage multitasking in the digitally-enabled workplace: the abundance and
ease of accessing information, the number of different working spheres, the
workplace environment, attentional state, habit, and social norms. Empirical
work is presented describing the nature of multitasking, the relationship of
different types of interruptions and email with overload and stress, and
patterns of attention focus. The final chapter ties these factors together
and discusses challenges that information workers in our digital age face.

 

Series: Synthesis Lectures on Human-Centered Informatics.


Series Editor: John M. Carroll, Penn State University
http://www.morganclaypool.com/toc/hci/8/3

Use of this book as a course text is encouraged, and the texts may be
downloaded without restriction by members of institutions that have licensed
accessed to the Synthesis Digital Library of Engineering and Computer
Science or after a one-time fee of $20.00 each by members of non-licensed
schools. To find out whether your institution is licensed, visit <
<http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/licensed>
http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/licensed> or follow the links above and
attempt to download the PDF. Additional information about Synthesis can be
found through the following links or by contacting me directly.

 

This book can also be purchased in print from Amazon and other booksellers
worldwide.

 <http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/subscribe> Individual subscriptions to
Synthesis are available for just $99.00 per year. This subscription will
provide individuals with unrestricted access to all Synthesis titles:
<http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/subscribe>
http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/subscribe 

 

Available titles and subject areas: 
 <http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/browseLbS.jsp>
http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/browseLbS.jsp 

 

Information for librarians, including pricing and license:
 <http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/librarian_info>
http://www.morganclaypool.com/page/librarian_info 

 

Please contact  <mailto:[email protected]> [email protected] to
request your desk copy.

 

Brent Beckley
Direct Marketing Manager
Morgan & Claypool Publishers


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