The role of individual differences when people handle interruptions and distractions

This study investigated the roles of individual differences when people handle interrupting and distracting events. Three kinds of individual differences were investigated, working memory, spatial ability and field dependence, which were measured by the automated OSPAN, the Vandenberg and Kuse Mental Rotations Test, and the Group Embedded Figures Test, respectively. The participants were 43 university students between 18 and 40 years old. They completed two testing sessions; in the first testing session they completed the psychometric tests, and in the second testing session they completed a computer-based distraction task specifically design for this research. It was hypothesised that the three individual differences investigated would affect the way the participants handled distractions and interruptions. Specifically, it was hypothesised that those with field independent cognitive style would be less likely to accept distractions, that those with high working memory would handle interruptions more efficiently and accurately than those with low working memory, and those with high spatial ability would handle interruptions more efficiently and accurately. One out of three hypotheses was supported. Participants with high working memory were faster and more accurate when returning to a primary task after an interruption than were participants with low working memory. However, field dependence did not predict distractibility, and spatial ability was not correlated with faster or more accurate primary task resumption. The results suggest that working memory may play a significant role when recovering from interruptions and distractions, however; the roles of field dependence and spatial ability are so fun unclear. Further investigation into the roles of individual differences when handling interruptions and distractions is still needed in the future