Thesis
Task-switching and subjective time experience: distortion of duration and passage
Washington State University
Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
2015
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100274
Abstract
Task-switching has become prevalent and normative in large part through the affordances of new communication technologies. An implication of this trend is the difficulty in assessing time spent on various media tasks. Further, there is evidence that task-switching results in distortions of self-reported estimates of time spent. Given the dominance of self-reported media use, communication scholars will benefit from a better understanding of the psychological mechanism underlying temporal estimation of media use. This study examined whether and to what extent task-switching distorts subjective experience of time duration and time passage in a task-switching context involving computer mediated communication. Results show participants in higher task-switching condition estimated shorter duration. However, neither time passage, nor perceived enjoyment of tasks was different by condition, though passage and enjoyment were positively correlated. Finally, time duration and time passage were not correlated. These findings lend support to the attentional capacity perspective and suggest that duration and passage may tap different aspects of subjective time assessment.
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Details
- Title
- Task-switching and subjective time experience
- Creators
- Ranran Zhu
- Contributors
- Prabu David (Degree Supervisor)Bruce E. Pinkleton (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Edward R. Murrow College of Communication
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Arts (MA), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525192401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis