MSU researchers found brief interruptions of even three seconds, such as the time to silence a ringing cellphone, can increase the potential for errors when completing a task.
In the study led by Erik Altmann, associate professor of psychology at MSU, 300 people were asked to perform tasks on a computer, according to a university press release.
The participants were interrupted for about three seconds, doubling the errors made while completing the task.
The study is one of the first to investigate the impact of brief interruptions on somewhat difficult activities.
Altmann said results could mean the safety and health of individuals could be at risk if professionals such as airplane mechanics or emergency room doctors encounter brief interruptions, according to the release.
The research was funded by the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research and co-authored by Naval Research Laboratory’s Gregory Trafton and MSU’s Zach Hambrick.
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