science fair presentation (most recent)
Post on 27-Jun-2015
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Media Multitasking and Question Answer Speed
Problem: What effect do media distractions (iPad app, TV clip, online article, or music) have on the amount of time (measured in seconds) it takes a test subject in eight grade to comprehend and answer simple questions?
By Max Spiegel
Curious how productive media multitasking is
Wanted to see pros and cons of media multitasking
Hoped to prove how much media multitasking can slow people down
Rationale
Increasingly common trend Never actually doing 2 things at once
◦ Constantly switching task◦ Requires “rule activation” (several tenths second)
10 point drop in IQ In reality, it is wasting time
Background Research
If media is a distraction in answering simple questions then eight grade students who are fully focused will answer simple questions faster than when the students are distracted by media.
Hypothesis
iPad Laptop 8 eighth graders (4 boys, 4 girls) iPad app (Temple Run) TV Clip (The Office) Online article (fun facts) Music (Good Feeling) Stopwatch
Materials
1. Gather a group of 8 eighth grade test subjects and make 4 groups with 2 students (1 boy, 1 girl)
2. With one test subject, go to a testing area with no distractions and get timer and laptop ready
3. Ask the test subject to spell animal (if group 1), granite (if group 2), camera (if group 3), brother (if group 4), cartoon (no group)
4. Once you are finished asking the question, start the timer5. When the test subject answers the question, stop the timer6. Record the timer result on a laptop **record the result in
seconds with 2 decimal places**7. Repeat steps 3-6 again but ask the test subject to do the
math problem, 3+4 (if group 1), 5+3 (if group 2), 2+4 (if group 3), 3+2 (if group 4), 4+2 (no group).
Procedure
8. Repeat steps 2-7 with the other 9 test subjects9. The next day, repeat steps 2-7 with the same test subjects but
instead of the subject not being distracted, have the test subject play Temple Run on an iPad **do not ask the questions when the test subject is in the “game over” stages when they are not actually playing the game** change questions so group 1 answers group 2’s previous questions, group 2 answers group 3’s previous questions etc. **group 4 answers “no group” questions**
10. The following day, repeat steps 2-7 again on the same test subjects but have them watch the TV clip of “the Office” instead of using the iPad **rotate questions same way**
11. Repeat steps 2-7 again but have the test subjects read the “fun facts” article (rotate questions same way)
12. Repeat steps 2-7 for the final time but have the test subjects listen to the song “Good Feeling” **rotate questions same way**
13. Analyze and organize the data
Procedure (continued)
Pictures
Some of the test subjects
Analyzing the data (step 13)
My seat Test subject’s seat
The testing area layout
More Pictures
The iPad app distraction Temple Run (step 9)
A test subject answering questions in the control group (steps 2-7)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?hl=en_US&hl=en_US&key=0AqpdFFBkvK_BdFRfdWI3ZHJuc1AxSVAtRnZBZjI0WGc&output=html
Data
Negatives outweigh positives◦ .19 seconds slower with distractions◦ 9.03 % slower
Music was an outlier. Increased speed◦ 14.32 % slower with music excluded
Research agrees with other studies Control: test subjects, location, question
ability Errors in the stopwatch and recording results
are possible Lesson to all that multitasking must not
become too common
Conclusion
Bigger group of test subjects
Get more specific in each group
Test age groups
Possible changes in the future
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