Contrary to the widespread opinion that women are the new Notes that is not generally better at Multitasking than men. Researchers working with Patricia Hirsch by the RWTH Aachen University had the Numbers 48 women and as many men – and letter tests to make. The result: they Had to do two tasks at the same time, worked for both genders, slow and inaccurate. There is a difference between the sexes was not detectable, the group writes in the journal “Plos One”.
In their study, the group of deer made their subjects on a screen of the letters as vowels or consonants identify. A second task consisted of Numbers to determine odd or even. Some of the Tests they had to do the two tasks at the same time, in the case of other quickly from one to the other task switch.
Prejudice refuted
“Our results do not confirm the widespread prejudice that women multitask better than men,” write the researchers. At least not in the Tests, which are exemplary for certain challenges.
Hirsch called for the tested skills three examples from everyday life:
The researchers also limit: “The current study does not allow conclusions to be drawn on gender differences in other multi-tasking situations.” They point out that older studies came to very different results. In some cases, no differences were detected, sometimes the women did better, in other studies, the men. Some studies, gender differences suggest, could be due to the tasks, write the researchers in Aachen are on the inside. Because no single Experiment can test all forms of Multitasking, and the necessary cognitive skills.
Women are better multi-taskers are? “Completely nonsensical”
The study involved a neuropsychologist Lutz Jäncke of the University of Zurich is similar to Hirsch and her Team – that differences between men and women when Multitasking are low or non-existent.
Such a difference would also follow any evolutionary logic. “There is behind it is not genetic, ultimate meaning, to suspect that the Homo-Sapiens-a woman is said to have been pre-programmed prior to 150,000 years is generally better for Multitasking than a man. This is completely nonsensical”, says Jäncke.
“Multitasking is something we humans can do very bad.” Our brain is made to ensure that we focus on the Essential, says Jäncke. “You have to irrelevant information, to suppress, to leave the relevant stuff through there.”
A General Problem of older Gender Studies is that, on significant differences between men and women was reported, if such were discovered by accident, says Jäncke. Promoted studies, however, no difference is evident, had they not been often published.
Dangerous Myth
For women, the myth of the better Mutitaskern could have negative consequences, warns the sociologist Leah Ruppanner in “The Conversation”. Women are bombarded with different tasks, because a lot of people assume they could handle the tasks even better: you need to professionally succeed, raising the children, homework help, and the household throw. It is important, therefore, to provide such myths scientifically – and for a better distribution of tasks between the sexes.
“Of women is expected due to the multi-tasking myth that you can afford everything,” says Leah Ruppanner. “This commitment, however, may affect the mental health of women and their ability to make the work Excellent.”
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