Self-interruptions and Cognition

Self-Interruptions 2025
Geoffrey W Sutton

Self-interruptions in multitasking refer to voluntary shifts in attention initiated by the individual, rather than prompted by external stimuli. 

These interruptions occur when a person disengages from a primary task to attend to another, often unrelated, activity—such as checking a phone or switching browser tabs—without any external cue prompting the change.

According to Adler and Benbunan-Fich (2013), self-interruptions are driven by internal cognitive and emotional states, such as boredom, frustration, or perceived lack of progress. Their study integrates Flow Theory and Self-Regulation Theory to propose a typology of self-interruptions, distinguishing between those triggered by positive feelings (e.g., confidence in task completion) and negative feelings (e.g., anxiety or doubt). Notably, negative emotional states were found to produce more frequent self-interruptions, which in turn decreased task accuracy and performance.

Rosen's work (Stringer, 2017) indicates that self-interruptions, especially those involving digital devices, contribute to task-switching costs—the cognitive load and time lost when resuming the original task. These interruptions fragment attention and reduce productivity, even when they appear brief or harmless.

Cognitive Load and Related Concepts

Attention Residue

Cognitive Debt

Cognitive Offloading

Cognitive Overload

Cognitive Spillover

Cognitive Load and Cognitive Load Theory

Managing Cognitive Load

Self-Interruptions and Cognition

Post Author

Geoffrey W. Sutton, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Evangel University, holds a master’s degree in counseling and a PhD in psychology from the University of Missouri-Columbia. His postdoctoral work encompassed education and supervision in forensic and neuropsychology. As a licensed psychologist, he conducted clinical and neuropsychological evaluations and provided psychotherapy for patients in various settings, including schools, hospitals, and private offices. During his tenure as a professor, Dr. Sutton taught courses on psychotherapy, assessment, and research. He has authored over one hundred publications, including books, book chapters, and articles in peer-reviewed psychology journals. His website is https://suttong.com

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References

Adler, R. F., & Benbunan-Fich, R. (2013). Self-interruptions in discretionary multitasking. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1441–1449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.01.040 

Stringer, H. (2017). Boosting productivity. Monitor on Psychology, 48(8), 54. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/09/boosting-productivity

Resources to Explore

🧠 Adler, R. F., & Benbunan-Fich, R. (2013).

Adler, R. F., & Benbunan-Fich, R. (2013). Self-interruptions in discretionary multitasking. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(4), 1441–1449. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2013.01.040  Annotation: This foundational study categorizes self-interruptions based on emotional triggers and task engagement. It finds that negative emotions (e.g., frustration, anxiety) lead to more frequent self-interruptions, which in turn reduce task accuracy and performance.

📱 Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2013).

Rosen, L. D., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2013). Facebook and texting made me do it: Media-induced task-switching while studying. Computers in Human Behavior, 29(3), 948–958. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.001  Annotation: This study explores how digital media contributes to self-interruptions during academic tasks. It shows that students frequently interrupt themselves to check social media or texts, leading to fragmented attention and reduced study effectiveness.

🔄 Leroy, S. (2009).

Leroy, S. (2009). Why is it so hard to do my work? The challenge of attention residue when switching between work tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 109(2), 168–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2009.04.002  Annotation: Although not exclusively about self-interruptions, this article introduces the concept of attention residue, which explains why voluntary task-switching (including self-interruptions) impairs performance on subsequent tasks due to lingering cognitive engagement.

🧩 Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008).

Mark, G., Gudith, D., & Klocke, U. (2008). The cost of interrupted work: More speed and stress. Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 107–110. https://doi.org/10.1145/1357054.1357072  Annotation: This experimental study quantifies the cost of interruptions—including self-initiated ones—on task completion speed and stress levels. It finds that while people may work faster after interruptions, they experience higher stress and lower accuracy.