Study of Multitasking, Cognitive Coordination and Cognitive Shifts in Web Search: Preliminary Findings

This paper discusses users’ cognitive coordination processes and their shifts in cognition when multi-tasking across different information searching problems on the Web. Preliminary results are presented for an exploratory study investigating the nature and roles of multitasking and cognitive behaviors during 42 Web searches. The purpose of this study is two-fold: (1) to understand the nature of each process of multitasking, cognitive coordination and cognitive shifts within user–Web interaction; (2) to identify the relationship between multitasking, cognitive coordination and cognitive shifts during Web search. Multitasking as a prevalent behavior during Web search was achieved through task coordination. The task level coordination behavior was supported by cognitive coordination mechanisms including feedback, self-learning and regulating, and strategy coordination. Humans’ mental process of cognitive shifts occurred due to coordination behaviors during multitasking Web search. User–Web interaction appears more complicated than previously understood.