This study investigated determinants of success in a 'synthetic work' task designed to reflect the requirement for multitasking that is common to many occupations. Participants were administered tests of working memory capacity (WMC) and processing speed (PS), and they reported experience with videogames, a type of activity presumed to involve multitasking. Results revealed that WMC was a strong predictor of multitasking in a 'non-emergency' condition when the pace of the tasks was relatively slow, whereas PS was a weaker predictor. Additionally, there was evidence for the incremental validity of videogame experience (VGE), consistent with the possibility that multitasking is supported by a general, trainable skill. Finally, individual differences in strategy use accounted for a large proportion of the variance in multitasking, above and beyond other predictor variables, and WMC predicted use of an effective strategy.

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r e s e a r c h a t w o r k N P R S T Navy Personnel Research, Studies, and Technology 5720 Integrity Drive • Millington, Tennessee 38055-1000 • www.nprst.navy.milA -Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This paper describes the development of a new measure of polychronicity, an individual differences construct indicating a preference for performing multiple tasks at once as opposed to performing only one task at a time. Although empirical research to date has found mixed results with respect to polychronicity's association with multitasking and other related variables, polychronicity remains conceptually promising as a predictor of multitasking-related variables. Following a brief review of past definitional issues, a revised definition is offered, and a new measure of polychronicity-the POLY-is created based on this revised definition. Three studies describe the creation, pilot testing, and psychometric refinement of an initial pool of polychronicity items (Study 1); an initial convergent and discriminant validity analysis (Study 2); and some initial findings with respect to the criterion-related validity of scores on the POLY (Study 3). Together, these findings provide preliminary evidence for the reliability of scores on the POLY and the validity of the POLY in predicting variables relevant to multitasking. SummaryThis paper describes the development of a new measure of polychronicity, an individual differences construct indicating a preference for performing multiple tasks at once as opposed to performing only one task at a time (e.g., Slocombe & Bluedorn, 1999). Although empirical research to date has found mixed results with respect to polychronicity's association with multitasking and other related variables, polychronicity remains conceptually promising as a predictor of multitasking-related variables. Following a brief review of past definitional issues, a revised definition is offered, and a new measure of polychronicity-the POLY-is created based on this revised definition. Three studies describe the creation, pilot testing, and psychometric refinement of an initial pool of polychronicity items (Study 1); an initial convergent and discriminant validity analysis (Study 2); and some initial findings with respect to the criterion-related validity of scores on the POLY (Study 3). Together, these findings provide preliminary evidence for the reliability of scores on the POLY and the validity of the POLY in predicting variables relevant to multitasking.vii