Attentional Limitations in Doing Two Tasks at the Same Time

· 1992 · CrossRef

DOI: 10.1111/1467-8721.ep11509734

URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.ep11509734

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Abstract

Seminal review in Current Directions in Psychological Science summarizing experimental evidence for structural attentional bottlenecks in dual-task performance. Pashler examines temporal factors such as stimulus onset asynchrony and psychological refractory period, demonstrating that attentional limitations are structural rather than strategic. Shows that concurrent tasks produce systematic performance costs even when participants know the demands in advance, contradicting voluntary attention allocation models. Directly informs understanding of driver dual-task interference during phone use, in-vehicle displays, and secondary task automation.

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Purchase: https://journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8721.ep11509734

Publisher: Wiley (Current Directions in Psychological Science)

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