Will working out or playing sports make you a better multitasker? It seems so, at least according to a study carried out at the University of Illinois. Researchers there looked at the multitasking skills of athletes versus non-athletes using a special simulator that replicates what happens when people cross the street with cars coming towards them, and they’re distracted by other factors. Sounds like a typical scenario, doesn’t it?
Are Athletes Better Multitaskers?
Researchers asked eighteen athletes and eighteen non-athletes to test their skills on a virtual reality simulator that mimicked the task of crossing the street. The participants walked on a manual treadmill at their chosen speed while wearing a pair of goggles that simulated depth – to make the participant feel like they were physically crossing a real street. As in real life, the researchers gave the participants distractions like cell phone and music to distract them while they were crossing. They also had “virtual” cars coming towards them as they walked across the street and had to move out of their way before being hit.
The results? The athletes were more likely to make it across the street without being hit by a car than the non-athletes even when they were distracted by music and cell phones. They made it across “alive” 72 percent of the time, while the non-athletes only reached the other side without being plowed down by a car 55 percent of the time. So, the advantages of being athletic may go beyond a ripped physique and a healthy body, it may actually increase your chances of surviving when you cross the street while talking on your cell phone.
Why were the athletes more adept at crossing the street safely when distracted? For one, the athletes in this study had shorter reaction times, which helped them dash out of the way of oncoming cars faster. They were also better at judging speed and depth compared to the non-athletes. This isn’t surprising since athletes spend years developing better hand-eye coordination, motor skills and faster reaction times. In the real world, these skills seem to make them better multitaskers. Sounds like being an athlete could be a real lifesaver.
On the other hand, this study doesn’t show cause and effect. It may be that athletes have better multitasking skills or it could be that athletics attracts people who already have superior multitasking skills. So, it’s hard to draw any firm conclusions based on this study except that people who are already athletes may be better multitaskers. Whether or not athletic training made them that way or they were born with better multitasking skills isn’t clear.
The Bottom Line?
If you play sports, you may be a better multitasker. Even so, don’t talk on your cell phone or listen to music when you cross the street. According to this study, you only have a 72 percent chance of making it across alive – even if you’re an athlete.
References:
Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 2011; 43: 1920-1926.
The Journal of Musculoskeletal Medicine. November 2011: p. 409.
