AN EFFICIENT TEST OF MULTITASKING ABILITY

Although there are clear individual differences in the ability to perform well in stressful, rapidly-changing multitasking environments such as those found in military command and control operations, current tests are inadequate for confidently predicting who will excel in such critical jobs. We are developing and validating a computerized Multitasking Test (MTT) to assess this ability. This effort leverages our experience with measuring individual differences in intelligence, working memory, and multitasking ability, and the expertise of collaborating specialists in psychometrics and cognitive abilities assessment. In Phase I we programmed a version of the MTT and collected compelling pilot data that describes its learning curve, reliability, and the cognitive load it imposes as a function of varying task difficulty. In Phase II the MTT will be further refined and validated in experimental and analytic efforts that will increase our understanding of the cognitive and neural processes engaged by it. The work planned for Phase II will yield critical information about the psychometric properties of the test, enable a deep understanding of the neurocognitive mechanisms that underlie individual differences in its performance, and result in a clear path for further refining it in conjunction with its deployment for field testing and eventual commercialization.