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A Typology of Positive and Negative Self-Interruptions in Voluntary Multitasking

Human multitasking is often the result of voluntary interruptions in the performance of an ongoing task. These selfinterruptions occur in the absence of external triggers such as alerts or notifications. Compared to externally induced interruptions, self-interruptions have not received enough research attention. To address this gap, this paper develops a detailed classification of self-interruptions arising from positive and negative feelings regarding task progress and prospects of goal attainment. The validation of the proposed typology in an experimental multitasking environment with pre-defined tasks shows that negative feelings trigger more self-interruptions than positive feelings and that more self-interruptions produce more errors and lower accuracy in all tasks. Therefore, negative triggers of self-interruptions unleash a downward spiral that ultimately affects performance.