Session 16: Gender and Multi-tasking
Prof. Maria S. Floro
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 1
Outline
• Focus and Terminology
• Why Collect Info on Multi-tasking?
• Methodological Issues
• Effect on Efficiency and on Well-being
• Studies on Multi-tasking: Some Examples
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 2
Focus: Multi-tasking
• Important dimension of time use
• Manner in which people function, particularly the way they spend their time and perform their work.
• Increasing social phenomenon in modern societies due to ease of access to media and communications technology.
• Time pressure as more women take on dual roles as income earners and household/care providers.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 3
Terminology:
Performing more than one activity at the same time. • Multi-tasking/Overlapping activities • Simultaneous activities/Concurrent activities • Polychronicity (vs monochronicity)
Performing more than one task/work activity at the
same time. • Time Intensity/Work Intensity
Chronic multi-tasking (of unpaid and paid work). • Double Day, Double Burden
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 4
Conceptual Issues
• Are these activities being done simultaneously or sequentially?
• How can we characterize multi-tasking/work intensity in order to understand better its nature?
• Is it a matter of preference or is it a matter of necessity?
• Does it increase productivity and what is the implication on our standard notion of efficiency?
• What are the circumstances under which multi-tasking can increase or decrease stress and well-being?
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 5
Evidence from Literature
• Anthropological and sociological studies directly and indirectly acknowledge multi-tasking in developed and developing countries.
• Studies on informal sector particularly women workers.
• Time use studies especially with respect to childcare, and also leisure.
• Consumer research and marketing studies show polychronic use of time by women.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 6
Relevance of Multi-tasking or Work Intensity
• Better measure of actual time spent in activities.
• Effect on efficiency and productivity.
• Effect on quality of life and well-being--- time pressure or time squeeze.
• Important coping strategy especially during economic downturns and recessions.
• Nontangible cost dimension of poverty and weak social policies.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 7
Some Consequences
• Distracted Attention
• Increased stress and deterioration of health
• Reduced Functionality
For many women: ‘income poor’ and ‘time poor’
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 8
Multi-tasking and Time Use
• Collection of secondary, tertiary or ‘other’ activities depend on TUS design.
• Respondents instructed to record main and other activities undertaken during the same period, where they were and who was with them.
• What was your main activity? What else were you doing at the same time.
• Can be simultaneous or sequential (for longer time slots e.g. 30 minutes.)
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 9
10
AloneChildren
age 0-9
Other hh
memberOthers
07.00-0.710Woke up the children x home
07.10-07.20Had breakfast Talked with my family x x
07.20-07.30..".. ..".. x x
07.30-07.40Cleared the table Listened to the radio x
07.40-07.50Helped the children dressing Talked with my children x
07.50-08.00Went to the day care centre, by foot ..".. x travel-on foot
08.00-08.10By bus to job Read the newspaper x travel-by bus
08.10-08.20By bus to job ..".. x
08.20-08.30Regular work x working place
08.30-08.40 x
08.40-08.50 x
08.50-09.00 x
09.00-09.10 x
09.10-09.20 x
09.20-09.30 x
09.30-09.40 x
09.40-09.50 x
09.50-10.00 x
10.00-10.10Break: had coffee Talked with a colleague x
10.10-10.20Regular work x working place
LocationTime
Persons present
Main activity Secondary activity
24-hour Diary with Fixed Time Intervals
Simultaneous Activities Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
11
AloneChildren
age 0-9
Other hh
memberOthers
07.00-0.710Woke up the children x home
07.10-07.20Had breakfast Talked with my family x x
07.20-07.30..".. ..".. x x
07.30-07.40Cleared the table Listened to the radio x
07.40-07.50Helped the children dressing Talked with my children x
07.50-08.00Went to the day care centre, by foot ..".. x travel-on foot
08.00-08.10By bus to job Read the newspaper x travel-by bus
08.10-08.20By bus to job ..".. x
08.20-08.30Regular work x working place
08.30-08.40 x
08.40-08.50 x
08.50-09.00 x
09.00-09.10 x
09.10-09.20 x
09.20-09.30 x
09.30-09.40 x
09.40-09.50 x
09.50-10.00 x
10.00-10.10Break: had coffee Talked with a colleague x
10.10-10.20Regular work x working place
LocationTime
Persons present
Main activity Secondary activity
Elements of Time Use Data
Contextual Information
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
Diversity of overlapping activities
• Multiple combinations
• Some can be pleasant and enjoyable.
• Others can be demanding and lead to intensification of work; lack of discretionary leisure time
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 12
13
Typology and Classification of Activities
Primary vs Secondary
Which is the main or primary activity?
Active vs. Passive
Pleasant vs Unpleasant
Which pairs of activities to focus on?
Choice of Classification is related to the purpose or objectives of your study.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
Measuring time spent in multi-tasking
Use of weights: • Additive : e.g. 1 hour of cleaning (main) + 1 hour of childcare (second) > 1440 min • Deflated: e.g. 1 hour of cleaning + (.5) 1hr of
childcare > 1440 minutes
• 24-hr constraint: e.g. .5 hr of cleaning + .5 hr childcare = 1440 minutes
Use of matrix table: • primary x secondary= 1440 minutes
Method would depend on the focus and objective of study
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 14
15
Sampling Issue
Use of specialised samples e.g. home-based workers, caregivers, students, drivers, etc.
Comparison using categories: Sex Geographic areas (urban/rural) Age group Employment status Poverty status Household head Household structure Access to services/programs/govt transfers.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
Effect on Efficiency and Quality of Output
• Dependent on the compatibility of the performed activities.
• Increased efficiency if minimum overlaps in simultaneous calls for attention, use of mental faculties, or physical exertion.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 16
Effect on Well-being
• Depends on the nature of activities combined i.e. amount of physical energy and level of concentration.
• Too many switches and/or many overlaps in the use of same resources lead to stress, fatigue and reduced functionality.
• Length of time spent in multi-tasking.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 17
Example:South Africa Time Use Survey
Classification of Selected activities
• Labor market work: wage, home-based work, self employed and primary production (SNA production activities*)
• Household work: domestic chores, fuel and water gathering*, care work and shopping (mainly non-SNA production activities)
• Social and cultural activities: cultural, political, social activities, socializing with non-family members
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 18
2000 South Africa Time Use Survey Data: Mean Time Spent
(minutes per day)
Women N=5408
Men N=5057
Primary activities
Primary and Secondary activities
Primary activities
Primary and Secondary activities
Labor Market work
161.8 173.4 294.5 310.4
Household 249.5 299.3 95.7 116.9
Social, Political, Religious Activities
81.9 122.3
111.9 179.1
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 19
20
• 359 individuals (head & spouses)
• Part of a household survey among urban squatter households
which has a time allocation module
• Simplified time use diary + recall method
• Circle of trust approach
Example 2: Bangkok Home-Based Worker Survey 2002
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
21
Time Allocation of Male and Female Thai Homebased Workers
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro
Example 3: Australian Time Use Survey Data
• 1992 Australian National Time Use Survey – 1st National level time use survey in Australia
• Sub sample of 3,966 adult respondents – Total sample covered ~3,000 households
• All members of household over 15 years old
– Sub sample: only male/female couples (married or de facto)
• Time use captured by interviews & journals – 2 randomly selected days (all days of week weighted evenly) – Primary + secondary, tertiary activities – Journals known to be accurate
• Except: phone conversations, home improvement projects
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 22
Time Use Patterns when Overlapped Activities are included.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 23
Primary work activity, mean hrs/day
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Labour marketwork
HH work:domestic
HH work:childcare
HH work:shopping
Voluntary work Total work
Women
Men
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 24
Primary + overlapped work activity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Labour marketwork
HH work:domestic
HH work:childcare
HH work:shopping
Voluntary work Total work
Women
Men
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 25
Economic Model
• Decision on the amount of overlapped work activity performed by a person.
• Individual and household characteristics may influence decision. Overlapping activity only manifests when benefit > cost:
*
ij ij j ijOL X Z
* * 0
0
ij ijOL if OLOL
otherwise
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 26
Tobit model • Baseline regressors:
– Gender, Ln( age ), Income and education categories
– # of children 1-4; # of children 5-14
– Cultural factors (other language spoken)
• Additional regressors:
– Work at home; multiple jobs; full time vs part time employment
– Disabled/sick child * [ 1 2 1 ... 7 ]
[ 14 14 ]
1 2 3
ij ij ij ij ij ij ij
j j j
ij j ij ij ij ij ij
OL Sex Age Educ Educ Winc Winc
Nchild Nkids Otlan
WrkHom KidHlth MulJob EmpSt EmpSt EmpSt
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 27
Regression findings
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 28
Study findings
• Higher incidence of overlapped work activity is associated with: – Having children, esp young children; sick/disabled – Education past high school, esp university – Work-at-home, multiple jobs – Gender, even when controlling for individual income
• Lower incidence of overlapped work activity associated with – Higher individual income (past some threshold) – Age – Non English speaking
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 29
Thank you.
Session 6: Multi tasking_ Floro 30