What neuroscience tells us about our ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Clifford Nass's research revealed a uncomfortable truth: people who believe they're good at multitasking are often worse at it than those who don't. The brain doesn't truly parallel-process complex tasks; it switches, with costs. In an age of notifications, tabs, and AI assistants, this has profound implications.
Intelligence amplification doesn't mean doing more at once. It means doing what matters better—with focus, depth, and the support of tools that extend our attention rather than fragment it. Nass's work reminds us that human cognition has limits worth respecting.
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