For years, scientists have argued that the human brain is incapable of true multitasking, suggesting that what we perceive as multitasking is merely rapid task-switching. However, a new study challenges this long-held belief, providing evidence that the brain can indeed handle two tasks simultaneously after sufficient training.
Researchers from Georgetown University and Lehigh University conducted a study where participants were trained to sort morphed images of cars into categories using an app. Over 5-10 weeks, participants completed more than 30,000 trials. Brain scans taken before and after training revealed a significant change: initially, the prefrontal cortex, responsible for thinking, was active, but after training, the temporal cortex, involved in memory, took over.
“What we show is that the circuitry actually changes so the brain can do two things at once,” said Maximilian Riesenhuber, a professor of neuroscience at Georgetown University School of Medicine. “This really is true multitasking.” The study explains why experienced drivers can listen to music or converse while driving, whereas novices cannot.
Interestingly, the study found variability in multitasking ability among individuals, though the reasons remain unclear. “This is unlocking a whole new set of questions,” Riesenhuber noted. The findings have implications for understanding compulsive behaviours and continuous learning, and could inform improvements in artificial intelligence, which still struggles with parallel task processing.
However, researchers caution that not all tasks can be performed simultaneously. “Looking at our phones to text while driving will never be safe, because we take our eyes away from the road,” said Patrick Cox, assistant professor of psychology at Lehigh University. The next steps involve studying the underlying neural processes and the limits of multitasking.
