Examining the effects of interruption timing and frequency on performance: An update

Abstract

The present study re-examined how the timing and frequency of interruptions impact performance on a planning and decision-making task. Undergraduates performed a trip planning task and were interrupted at coarse breakpoints, fine breakpoints, or not at all. Additionally, interruptions occurred at either a low or high frequency. Based on the memory for goals and event segmentation theories, it was predicted that a higher number of interruptions would be more disruptive than fewer interruptions, and that this effect would be more pronounced at the fine breakpoints. The results supported these predictions. Participants took longer to resume the primary task and experienced higher mental workload and frustration when interruptions occurred at fine breakpoints and at a higher frequency. Overall, these results demonstrate that the disruptiveness of interruptions is tied to their frequency and the point within the task hierarchy at which they occur.