Psychology

Inattention over time-on-task: the role of motivation in mitigating temporal increases in media multitasking

A. C. Drody, E. J. Pereira, et al.

Attention and performance commonly decline with time-on-task, often leading to more media multitasking. Across two studies, increasing motivation reduced time-related rises in media multitasking and attenuated performance drops; Study 2 further showed motivated participants’ motivation waned more slowly. These findings suggest elevating the perceived value of the current task can help prolong sustained attention and align with vigilance theories emphasizing cost–benefit trade-offs. Research conducted by Allison C. Drody, Effie J. Pereira, James Danckert, and Daniel Smilek.