Ask a Busy Person? A Reexamination of Cognitive Performance Under Load

Ask a Busy Person? A Reexamination of Cognitive Performance Under Load by Graham M. Watson MS, Walden University, 2007 BS, University of Phoenix, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University February 2017 Abstract A longstanding folk belief suggests that “busy” people possess the ability to get more done than others. Busyness, defined as the demands of everyday life, has been shown to generate cognitive load, which has been called “cognitive busyness. ” Although most cognitive theory would deny the possibility that cognitive load may enhance performance, some recent research may support the possibility. Cowan's 1988 information-processing model was used to study how measures of everyday busyness correlated with performance on cognitive tasks. The research question addressed whether any combination of such measures, in combination with working memory, could predict performance on such tasks. 92 participants, paid workers with Amazon Mechanical Turk, engaged in an online process, starting with completion of a validated self-report instrument to measure busyness. They then participated in 2 activities, structured as games and designed to measure working memory and cognitive performance. Multiple regressions, linear and nonlinear, were used to identify significant predictors of performance. Results of the analyses did not reveal any evidence for significant relationships between the variables. Additionally, “volitional busyness” did not appear to enhance, or even affect, performance on a planning task. Further research exploring the effect of these variables on a working memory-based task may be worthwhile, if only to confirm the present findings. This project might benefit linguists tracking semantic change, showing how a term may adopt an entirely different meaning and suggesting further refinement in identifying such shifts over the years; psychologists exploring cognitive load and its effects; and social psychologists interested in making corrections to popular perceptions of the value of tradition gender-associated tasks.A longstanding folk belief suggests that “busy” people possess the ability to get more done than others. Busyness, defined as the demands of everyday life, has been shown to generate cognitive load, which has been called “cognitive busyness. ” Although most cognitive theory would deny the possibility that cognitive load may enhance performance, some recent research may support the possibility. Cowan's 1988 information-processing model was used to study how measures of everyday busyness correlated with performance on cognitive tasks. The research question addressed whether any combination of such measures, in combination with working memory, could predict performance on such tasks. 92 participants, paid workers with Amazon Mechanical Turk, engaged in an online process, starting with completion of a validated self-report instrument to measure busyness. They then participated in 2 activities, structured as games and designed to measure working memory and cognitive performance. Multiple regressions, linear and nonlinear, were used to identify significant predictors of performance. Results of the analyses did not reveal any evidence for significant relationships between the variables. Additionally, “volitional busyness” did not appear to enhance, or even affect, performance on a planning task. Further research exploring the effect of these variables on a working memory-based task may be worthwhile, if only to confirm the present findings. This project might benefit linguists tracking semantic change, showing how a term may adopt an entirely different meaning and suggesting further refinement in identifying such shifts over the years; psychologists exploring cognitive load and its effects; and social psychologists interested in making corrections to popular perceptions of the value of tradition gender-associated tasks. Ask a Busy Person? A Reexamination of Cognitive Performance Under Load by Graham M. Watson MS, Walden University, 2007 BS, University of Phoenix, 2003 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Psychology Walden University February 2017 Acknowledgements This dissertation has taken (it seems) forever, and along the way I have been grateful for the support of many people, sometimes at times when I doubted I could ever finish. At the top of that long list would be my wife, Valentina, and my daughter, Lara, who for years have put up with me disappearing "downstairs" for hours or days— sometimes emerging even more drained and dejected than ever, and sometimes with the Eureka expression of one who had a long and creative bath. Right by them would be my parents, Peter and Joyce Watson. They supported me in many and crucial ways even when—it must be said—I lacked the skills and insight to explain to them exactly what I was doing. Sadly, they did not live to see the project completed, but I know how proud and happy they would have been to see their investment come to fruition and their son's dream (at least partially) fulfilled. Then, there have been the many friends, both professional and otherwise, who have let me try out ideas on them; offered ways of looking at things; and offered references, better phrasing, and patience over gripes and grumbles. Drs. Santo Triolo and Shari Liden, former supervisors turned valued friends; Dr. Heather Fredericks (my thesis chair, who encouraged me to take an I/O thesis in a cognitive psych direction, and championed me afterwards); and many others who just took an interest—Steve Levine, Michael, Ed, Billy, Crystal, you may not even know what it meant to me. I cannot, of course, forget my committee. Dr. Richard Thompson, hauled in very late, was on board immediately and enthusiastically. Finally, in a category all his own, Dr. Tom Edman, who stepped up as chair and helped me complete a project I had come close to giving up, and to whom I cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you all. i Table of