“Women Are Better Than Men”–Public Beliefs on Gender Differences and Other Aspects in Multitasking

Szameitat, André J.; Hamaida, Yasmin; Tulley, Rebecca S.; Saylık, Rahmi; Otermans, Pauldy · 2015 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140371

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Summary

This study investigates the prevalence and nature of the public stereotype that women are superior to men in multitasking. Motivated by frequent public inquiries and media reports suggesting this gender difference, the authors sought to determine whether this belief is widespread and to characterize the reasons behind it. The research was driven by the observation that while scientific literature on actual multitasking performance shows mixed or negligible gender differences, a strong cultural narrative persists. The study aimed to quantify this belief across diverse populations, assess self-rated multitasking abilities and time spent multitasking, and explore how participants define multitasking activities. The researchers conducted an online survey using a self-developed questionnaire distributed via social media and forums between November 2014 and February 2015. The final sample consisted of 488 participants (274 females, 212 males) from the UK, US, Germany, the Netherlands, Turkey, and other countries. Participants provided demographic information, including age, education level, relationship status, and whether they had children. The questionnaire assessed three main areas: self-rated multitasking ability and hours spent multitasking per day; beliefs regarding gender differences in multitasking (including the perceived magnitude and reasons for such differences); and perceptions of which activities constitute multitasking. Data were analyzed using Chi-square tests for dichotomous variables and t-tests for scale responses, with effect sizes reported using Cramér’s V and Cohen’s d. The results indicated that over 50% of participants believed in gender differences in multitasking abilities. Among those who held this belief, 80% asserted that women were better than men. This stereotype was consistent across all surveyed countries. Participants cited evolutionary advantages and greater practice due to managing household, childcare, and work responsibilities as the primary reasons for this perceived superiority. Regarding self-assessments, there was no significant overall gender difference in how participants rated their own multitasking skills. However, women reported spending significantly more time multitasking daily (mean 4.64 hours) compared to men (mean 3.92 hours). Additionally, participants with children, those with non-higher education, and married individuals reported spending more time multitasking than their counterparts. Self-rated ability scores were higher among participants with children and those with non-higher education, though gender differences in self-rated ability were only significant in the UK and German subsamples. The study concludes that a widespread gender stereotype exists, asserting women’s superiority in multitasking, despite a lack of consistent empirical evidence supporting substantial performance differences. The findings suggest that this belief is likely fueled by societal roles and media simplifications rather than cognitive science. The discrepancy between the strong public belief and the weak or non-existent gender differences in actual performance highlights the influence of stereotypes on public perception. The results imply that perceived differences may stem from the frequency of multitasking practice in women’s daily lives, particularly regarding childcare and domestic management, rather than inherent cognitive advantages. This underscores the importance of distinguishing between cultural stereotypes and scientific reality in understanding gender differences in cognitive tasks.

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