Sound Bites

By Ajay Singh

A recent UCLA study shows that multitasking makes it difficult for people to learn. Voices Editor Ajay Singh went around campus recently asking people whether they found multitasking beneficial.

Mark Sawyer, associate professor in the Department of Political Science and the Ralph Bunche Center for African American Studies

Once you learn to function in a highly focused way, multitasking is obviously an asset because you’re able to do more. But during the process of learning, it probably is a hindrance, especially for kids, who require a certain direct focus in order to get something done.

Abigail Palmer, 2nd-year English major

As an English major, I spend a lot of my time reading, and I can’t multitask. It’s different for my roommate, who does her physics homework with the TV on — if she gets stuck, she just goes back one step in whatever she’s working on. Still, I do a lot of multitasking because I report for the Daily Bruin — I’m often walking, talking on the cell phone and taking notes.

Felicia Chiou, teaching assistant, French and Francophone studies

We have difficulty sustaining our attention on so many things — it has something to do with over-stimulation, distraction and technology, especially the Internet. Multitasking is unproductive because we can’t focus on any one thing and do it well.

A.P. Gonzalez, professor of theater, film and television

I used to think multitasking was an absolute liability because people tend to have short attention spans. But then I realized that the human mind is so quick that it’s possible to accustom ourselves to focus on three or four activities at the same time. I think we’re getting better at it as we get more challenged by technology.