Department of Psychology, Chair of Health Psychology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany.
PLoS One. 2022 Feb 8;17(2):e0263785. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263785. eCollection 2022.
The biopsychological response patterns to digital stress have been sparsely investigated so far. Important potential stressors in modern working environments due to increased digitalization are multitasking and work interruptions. In this study protocol, we present a protocol for a laboratory experiment, in which we will investigate the biopsychological stress response patterns to multitasking and work interruptions.
In total, N = 192 healthy, adult participants will be assigned to six experimental conditions in a randomized order (one single-task, three dual-task (two in parallel and one as interruption), one multitasking, and one passive control condition). Salivary alpha-amylase as well as heart rate as markers for Sympathetic Nervous System Activity, heart rate variability as measure for Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) activity, and cortisol as measure for activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis will be assessed at six time points throughout the experimental session. Furthermore, inflammatory markers (i.e., IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP), and secretory immunoglobulin-A) will be assessed before and after the task as well as 24 hours after it (IL-6 and CRP only). Main outcomes will be the time course of these physiological stress markers. Reactivity of these measures will be compared between the experimental conditions (dual-tasking, work interruptions, and multitasking) with the control conditions (single-tasking and passive control).
With this study protocol, we present a comprehensive experiment, which will enable an extensive investigation of physiological stress-responses to multitasking and work interruptions. Our planned study will contribute to a better understanding of physiological response patterns to modern (digital) stressors. Potential risks and limitations are discussed. The findings will have important implications, especially in the context of digital health in modern working and living environments.
迄今为止，数字压力的生物心理反应模式研究甚少。由于数字化程度的提高，现代工作环境中的重要潜在压力源是多任务处理和工作中断。在本研究方案中，我们提出了一项实验室实验的方案，旨在研究多任务处理和工作中断对生物心理压力反应模式的影响。
总共将有 192 名健康的成年参与者随机分配到六个实验条件（一个单任务、三个双任务（两个并行，一个中断）、一个多任务和一个被动控制条件）。在整个实验过程中，将在六个时间点评估唾液α-淀粉酶和心率作为交感神经系统活动的标志物、心率变异性作为副交感神经系统（PNS）活动的指标、皮质醇作为下丘脑-垂体肾上腺（HPA）轴活动的指标。此外，在任务前后以及任务结束后 24 小时（仅 IL-6 和 CRP）评估炎症标志物（即 IL-6、C 反应蛋白（CRP）和分泌型免疫球蛋白 A）。主要结果将是这些生理应激标志物的时间过程。将这些措施的反应性与对照条件（单任务和被动控制）进行比较，以比较实验条件（双任务、工作中断和多任务）之间的反应性。
本研究方案提供了一项全面的实验，将能够广泛研究多任务处理和工作中断对生理压力的反应。我们计划的研究将有助于更好地理解对现代（数字）压力源的生理反应模式。讨论了潜在的风险和限制。研究结果将具有重要意义，特别是在现代工作和生活环境中的数字健康方面。
