Are Most People Good at Multitasking?

Many people think they are good multitaskers, but are they really?  Actually, no.  Several studies have demonstrated that it is very difficult or impossible for most people to do two or more things at once very well, even if they think they are doing fine.

In a recent study, 200 volunteers were asked to drive in a driving simulator and concentrated on information given to them on a cell phone at the same time.  The majority of the participants did poorly on both tasks.  they were 20% slower to hit the brakes and also performed worse in responding to the information given to them over the phone.

However, the researchers uncovered a surprising discovery:  1 in 40 excelled at performing both tasks at the same time.  That's right, a whopping 2.5% of adults seem to be good at multitasking.  The author of the study, David Strayer, called these folks "supertaskers."  These supertaskers seem to be able to take on two or more things at once and do really well on them.

It's not clear if this is a skill that has only recently developed in human brains, thanks to the demands of our ever-increasing tech-culture, or if it is something that some people's brains just naturally have the ability to do.  Either way, it's still a rare skill.  You might be a supertasker, but it's a safe bet to say that the odds are against you.

10 Ways to Protect Yourself From Danger

by Dr. Barrie Morganstein

We know that the world can be a scary place, but we still need to live in it.  With a few smart behaviors, we can increase our personal safety.  Below is a list of ten smart safety tips that everyone should use.

1.    Don’t look vulnerable (e.g., stay off your cell phone, don’t hold your purse loosely, etc.)

2.    Identify potential dangers (e.g., people trying to distract you, ask for directions, ask for help, etc.) 

3.    Avoid dangerous locations (e.g., avoid empty parking garages, isolated locations, etc.)

4.    Be aware of your surroundings (e.g., check out people around you, identify areas that people can hide, look for escape routes, etc.)

5.    Don’t make assumptions that people are safe because they look “nice”

6.    Don’t tempt fate (i.e., why shop and run errands at night when you can do this in daylight?)

7.    Avoid going out alone (there is safety in numbers)

8.    Know the “tricks of the trade” that predators use (e.g., offering to help you so you feel indebted to “help” them, making unsolicited promises – “I’m a good guy”, “I won’t hurt you”, etc.)

9.    If  you carry a protection tool (e.g., pepper spray, a club, taser, etc.) make sure you know how to use it properly (don’t become your own victim)

10.Don’t be afraid of hurting someone’s feelings; if they look “sketchy” or make you feel uncomfortable, roll up your windows, lock your door, or cross to the other side of the street; hurting a stranger’s feelings is a small price to pay for your safety.

Dr. Barrie Morganstein is a psychologist at Southeast Psych who sees clients of all ages.