Female iNtuitives and Multi-Tasking

wisdom_seeker

wisdom_seeker

Lucky
MBTI
INfJ
Enneagram
N/A
In a course in psychology, I learned that women, in general, are better at multi-tasking than men. This is said to be due to the greater connectivity women have between the two hemispheres of the brain, whereas men's brains tend to experience more lateralization. Since I am a female INFJ and I'm not good at multi-tasking, I was wondering what part personality may play in this ability to be better at multi-tasking, in addition to gender. For instance, I wonder if it is Sensing women who have this greater ability at multi-tasking, which would make this appear to be true of women in general because there are more Sensors than iNtuitives, or this is something that women, in general--iNtuitives included--are better at than men and I'm the exception due to my ADHD (primarily inattentive type)-like traits, though I do meet the full criteria for an ADHD diagnosis.

My mind works something like this. I have to cook supper and I put the water on to boil. While I am waiting for the water to boil, I get onto the computer to compose an e-mail to someone. When I log into my e-mail, I notice someone sent me an article regarding a new treatment for depression. Next thing you know, the e-mail I was supposed to compose and supper are both forgotten, and I am off researching new treatments for depression. I'm also too terrible at remembering where I put things, like keys for instance, to be good at multi-tasking. Sometimes I forget why I walked into a room. Related to this, but perhaps a separate issue, is if you give me three things to do I will probably forget at least one of them if I don't write them down right away.

I specifically am interested in hearing from other female INFJ's regarding how well, or how much of a challenge it is, for them to accomplish multi-tasking. I would be interested in hearing from females of other types, as well, who are iNtuitives of some sort. Thanks in advance. Also, if you wouldn't mind, please tell me what type you are if you are not an INFJ.
 
Yea it has to do with their brains, are more efficiently wired in some part of it. If my psych class was correct.


Also, women make epic sandwiches. (Don't hit me!) :m169:


Anyways, I'm a male infp, so I figure I am qualified to post.


I can't multitask worth shit. As soon as my brain loses attention of something, good luck getting it back. I think this is why I crash my car so often (two times in two years >.>), and why my homework takes hours longer than normal.
 
I am a female INFJ (as far as I know, still at odds with my type a bit), and I have the SAME issues that you are talking about, down to forgetting about dinner and everything. I can't multitask for crap. I get very distracted. It's also to the point where if someone is talking to me while I am focusing on something else, I won't even hear a word they say. I know they are talking, but what they are saying...I could only guess. Goes right in one ear and out the other. I have to actively stop what I am doing and focus on them and get them to repeat what they first said before I had my full attention on them. Then I will absorb it all. This can be hard for me concerning relationships, because who likes feeling ignored? I am guessing no one. It is something I try really hard not to do though, for that reason.

I forget why I walk into rooms all the time. My mind will have gone off on some other tangent on my way there. I usually remember what I went in there for a few minutes later when I am in another room.
 
If we are to stick to MBTI terms, P types are generally better at multitasking, with Ne dominants winning out. This is simply because Ne is the divergent function, and is able to process many different things at the same time without needing to focus on just one. Ni (which is what rules INxJ's) is a convergent function, and is usually not very good at multitasking. This is largely because Ni seeks to create uniformity of everything. However it need to individually process each piece before it is woven into the big picture. The pathway may be erratic and chaotic and might appear like multitasking, but it is not true multitasking.

Of course, this is not full proof by any stretch of the word. Also, the difference between men and women in this regard is satistically signifigant. However, it is not solid across the board. I am male, but I am very bad at multitasking. I need to one thing at a time, and only one thing at a time. I may jump from a to b to c in what appears to be a rapid sucession, but it I am still focusing on individual tasks. I am a very focused person, and am pretty much anti-ADD, and often don't forget things though.
 
I'm a female INTP.
Multitasking is what I'm best at.
My favorite activities such as playing piano, martial arts (sparring in particular), riding a manual motorcycle, cooking (food science in my case) :m155: etc. involves constant multitasking.

Urtehnoes
Also, women make epic sandwiches. (Don't hit me!) :m169:
Click to expand...
*Throws sandwich at urtehnoes.* Well, you said not to hit you, so I figured that the sandwich could instead.
Besides...

Sandvich.jpg
 
Last edited:
wisdom_seeker said:
In a course in psychology, I learned that women, in general, are better at multi-tasking than men. This is said to be due to the greater connectivity women have between the two hemispheres of the brain, whereas men's brains tend to experience more lateralization. Since I am a female INFJ and I'm not good at multi-tasking, I was wondering what part personality may play in this ability to be better at multi-tasking, in addition to gender. For instance, I wonder if it is Sensing women who have this greater ability at multi-tasking, which would make this appear to be true of women in general because there are more Sensors than iNtuitives, or this is something that women, in general--iNtuitives included--are better at than men and I'm the exception due to my ADHD (primarily inattentive type)-like traits, though I do meet the full criteria for an ADHD diagnosis.

My mind works something like this. I have to cook supper and I put the water on to boil. While I am waiting for the water to boil, I get onto the computer to compose an e-mail to someone. When I log into my e-mail, I notice someone sent me an article regarding a new treatment for depression. Next thing you know, the e-mail I was supposed to compose and supper are both forgotten, and I am off researching new treatments for depression. I'm also too terrible at remembering where I put things, like keys for instance, to be good at multi-tasking. Sometimes I forget why I walked into a room. Related to this, but perhaps a separate issue, is if you give me three things to do I will probably forget at least one of them if I don't write them down right away.

I specifically am interested in hearing from other female INFJ's regarding how well, or how much of a challenge it is, for them to accomplish multi-tasking. I would be interested in hearing from females of other types, as well, who are iNtuitives of some sort. Thanks in advance. Also, if you wouldn't mind, please tell me what type you are if you are not an INFJ.
Click to expand...

Are you me???
Same thing with me. Very poor multitaksing. I have to do one thing after another or I can't do anything proper.
 
I'm horrendous at multi-tasking. It took me two years to learn to drive, and now having got my license I'm constantly having near-misses and scratching my car. I can't have a phone conversation if there is another conversation going on in the room because it distracts me. Actually any kind of conversation come to that! I can't listen to music and do anything else. Ha. Useless.
 
I'm decent at multi-tasking. It really depends on the tasks being done.
For example, i can be on the phone with someone, and in the span of that conversation, finish my homework, check my email, fold my laundry, and doodle.

But in other cases, i.e driving, it's a no-no. I really can't talk to people when I drive.
 
This reminds me of that study from about a year ago that supposedly demonstrated that those who claim to be multitasking are worse at multitasking than those who claim to be bad at it. If I recall though there were some major problems with the study, such as not actually studying multitasking at all. I'd have to look it up to be sure, but if I recall correctly their "multitasking" was actually more about how well one could remain focused on a single task amid distractions. The self described multitaskers were assumed to be worse at multitasking because they were less productive when other things where going on to distract them from one task and it was assumed that this would carry over to being less attentive and thus inferior on multiple things happening at once. Real multitasking does not involve maintaining constant focus on everything, but being flexible enough to follow those distractions towards important problems as they arise.



My INTJ father hates multitasking and never attempts it, except when it comes to watching TV while listening to sports on the radio. My INFP mother tries multitasking all the time, but claims not to be nearly as good at it as she used to be. She never attempts multitasking when doing math though, and insists on no distractions then. Apparently as a child she could listen to the radio, watch TV, read a book, write a paper, carry on a conversation, and avoid physical attacks from her rowdy younger brother at the same time.
 
I've read several studies supporting the theory that people
do not multitask at all. We just think we do. If I can find
them (which really means if I actually feel like looking for
them) I will send them to you OP.
 
I would think of it as multiplexing more than multitasking.

I don't think our attention can truly be on two things simultaneously, can it?
 
NeverAmI said:
I would think of it as multiplexing more than multitasking.

I don't think our attention can truly be on two things simultaneously, can it?
Click to expand...



Not according to those articles I poured over.
 
One of my friends claimed he was able to process 2 things at once, although I don't believe it. I never did get a chance to test him on it.

Actually, the brain does a lot of things unconsciously which may happen simultaneously. But if unconsciousness is the only way to process simultaneously then by definition that can't really be harnessed for multitasking.

I had read in one of my neuroscience books that auditory processing doesn't actually help (such as listening to lectures) unless you are paying attention, which make senes. Has anyone heard one way or another on that?

Subliminal messages might because they are so simple, but nothing complex like concepts or theory.
 
NeverAmI said:
One of my friends claimed he was able to process 2 things at once, although I don't believe it. I never did get a chance to test him on it.

Actually, the brain does a lot of things unconsciously which may happen simultaneously. But if unconsciousness is the only way to process simultaneously then by definition that can't really be harnessed for multitasking.

I had read in one of my neuroscience books that auditory processing doesn't actually help (such as listening to lectures) unless you are paying attention, which make senes. Has anyone heard one way or another on that?

Subliminal messages might because they are so simple, but nothing complex like concepts or theory.
Click to expand...


I haven't heard anything on that but I do not doubt that.
If I went to my calculus lecture and just sat there without
paying attention, I definitely would not pass the exams.
 
[Matariki says:]I'm a female INTP. Multitasking is what I'm best at.
My favorite activities such as playing piano, martial arts (sparring in particular), riding a manual motorcycle, cooking (food science in my case) :m155: etc. involves constant multitasking.

Hi Matariki, I trained in martial arts for four years, though I have neither the time nor the money for it now, but I greatly enjoyed it and got pretty skilled at it. Good point, there is a certain amount of multi-tasking which goes on in martial arts. I'm not sure I'm naturally skilled at it, however, and became good at it because of the focus and dedication I put into it. I noticed the same to be true of my INTJ workout partner. Hmm, so maybe the INTP would pick up on it quicker.
 
Hi IndigoSensor,

I had not read that about Ni being a convergent function, but that does help explain it. Honestly, I am more familiar with Keirsey temperament theory than I am MBTI functions. This has sparked my interest, however, and I will have to look more into type functions now.

Thanks for everyone's responses, and I will try to write more tomorrow. If I don't get off the computer now, my brain will be so wired up I'll end up staying up all night and being no good tomorrow.

IndigoSensor said:
If we are to stick to MBTI terms, P types are generally better at multitasking, with Ne dominants winning out. This is simply because Ne is the divergent function, and is able to process many different things at the same time without needing to focus on just one. Ni (which is what rules INxJ's) is a convergent function, and is usually not very good at multitasking. This is largely because Ni seeks to create uniformity of everything. However it need to individually process each piece before it is woven into the big picture. The pathway may be erratic and chaotic and might appear like multitasking, but it is not true multitasking.

Of course, this is not full proof by any stretch of the word. Also, the difference between men and women in this regard is satistically signifigant. However, it is not solid across the board. I am male, but I am very bad at multitasking. I need to one thing at a time, and only one thing at a time. I may jump from a to b to c in what appears to be a rapid sucession, but it I am still focusing on individual tasks. I am a very focused person, and am pretty much anti-ADD, and often don't forget things though.
Click to expand...
 
Ahem, I'm male (of this I'm more sure than my type) but here are a few cents of mine regarding the topic.

There are various levels of multitasking. A true MT would be two conscious processes running simultaneously which is impossible for mentally stable humans to achieve as far as I know. Some cases of schizophrenia might be the closest thing.

Then there's a common case of one conscious process running and a lot more of unconscious. Even people who claim to be bad at multitasking can easily do this. An example: while you're reading this text, there's also your heart beating, lungs breathing, stomach digesting, ears listening etc. The same happens when you're driving, walking, dancing, cooking, playing an instrument - it all happens without thought and you can do something else at the same time. This is the area where more connections in female brain supposedly offer an advantage: they should be able to do more tasks unconsciously.

Since true MT at conscious level is impossible the next best thing is pseudo multitasking. It means quickly switching the processing time from one subject to another and then back again. It's like you've described in OP. The quality of such thinking largely depends on short-term memory and ability to focus. It can be increased by training.
 
wisdom_seeker said:
Hi Matariki, I trained in martial arts for four years, though I have neither the time nor the money for it now, but I greatly enjoyed it and got pretty skilled at it. Good point, there is a certain amount of multi-tasking which goes on in martial arts. I'm not sure I'm naturally skilled at it, however, and became good at it because of the focus and dedication I put into it. I noticed the same to be true of my INTJ workout partner. Hmm, so maybe the INTP would pick up on it quicker.
Click to expand...

I always like to see an INFJ enjoy the martial arts. One of my favorite female martial artists is an INFJ, Parinya Charoenphol, I really want to go over to Thailand and meet her and train at her Muay Thai camp.
There was a movie that was based on her life that came out not so long ago called Beautiful Boxer.





 
it's sooooo easy for me to go off on a tangent and forget about what I'm doing, but at the same time, I can multi-task. I am only good at it if it's certain tasks combined. I cannot listen to someone talk to me and type at the same time. I can however cook a meal and hold an msn conversation pretty much together.
 
A true case of ADHD will always dominate one's other attributes such as gender, unfortunately. Despite the opinions of ill-informed deniers, ADHD is a real, debilitating disorder.
 
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