Multitasking, friend or foe? : the impact of cognitive load on ethical dilemma forecasting

Abstract

Multitasking has become a characteristic of modern society. The desire or need to do more with less drives individuals to attempt to complete multiple tasks simultaneously in an effort to be more time and resource efficient. The demand of concurrent activities stresses our physical and cognitive resources resulting in hidden costs caused by the negative effects created when working memory is taxed. Previous research has shown that cognitive load can cause deficits in a variety of areas, including moral judgment tasks. The ethical decision making process is a complex one, requiring the utilization of mental resources to identify, assess, and resolve the dilemma at hand. The present studies examine the effect that cognitive load has on ethical dilemma assessment, particularly on the affected individual's ability to forecast potential harm caused.