# Huh, what did they say again? The influence of task interruption position and workload on auditory-verbal memory performance

## TL;DR

This study shows that interruptions during verbal memory tasks cause information loss, especially when they occur later and require more mental effort.

## Contribution

The study reveals how interruption position and workload uniquely affect auditory-verbal memory performance.

## Key findings

- Late and high-workload interruptions significantly reduce free recall performance.
- Interruptions impair both the primary memory task and the interrupting task itself.
- Early interruptions are less harmful due to less information needing to be maintained.

## Abstract

The harmful effects of task interruptions on performance in discrete visual-manual reaction-time (RT) tasks are well investigated, but the impact on continuous auditory-verbal memory tasks has received comparably less attention. In the present study, the encoding phase of an auditory-verbal free recall task was interrupted by visual–manual RT tasks. To examine which factors influence the disruptiveness of an interruption during the encoding phase, we manipulated the cognitive workload (low vs. high) associated with the interruption task and the position (early vs. late) of the intervening interruption tasks. Moreover, we manipulated the central code (verbal vs. spatial) in the high-workload interruption task. Results showed decreased free recall with late and high-workload interruptions compared to early and low-workload interruptions. However, the variation of central codes did not influence free recall in the high-workload interruption task. We also examined task trade-offs and found worse performance in the interruption task itself compared to performing it as a single task. These results suggest that memory maintenance in the memory task interferes with response selection in the interruption task. Further, we assume that early interruptions of memory encoding are less harmful than later ones because less primary task information needs to be maintained during interruption task processing. Overall, our study revealed that task interruptions lead to information loss in auditory-verbal memory encoding, highlighting the importance of minimizing interruption costs in work environments where effective communication and information exchange are crucial.

In our modern everyday life, task interruptions occur frequently. Especially in work environments such as healthcare, where medical staff must manage competing demands in time-critical situations while maintaining effective verbal communication and patient-related information, interruptions can lead to information loss and impaired patient safety. Despite extensive research on how interruptions affect discrete visual-manual reaction-time (RT) tasks, their impact on auditory-verbal memory, which is critical for verbal communication and information exchange, has been neglected. Our research addresses this gap by investigating how different types of interruptions influence memory performance in an auditory-verbal free recall task. Specifically, we investigated if the cognitive workload of the interruption task and the position of an interruption (early or late phase of an information exchange) influence the size of the interruption costs. Moreover, we examined if the similarity of the primary and interruption task impacts memory performance. We found that late and high-workload interruptions significantly disrupt memory performance compared to early and low-workload interruptions, emphasizing the vulnerability of auditory-verbal memory to interference. Furthermore, results showed that interruptions not only impair recall but also decrease performance in the interrupting task itself. These findings have direct implications for real-world settings where verbal information must be remembered under conditions of frequent, unavoidable interruptions, such as in polytrauma care. By examining the cognitive mechanisms underlying these interruption costs, our study highlights the importance of designing strategies to avoid interruption or minimizing the negative impact of interruptions on memory, improving information exchange and decision-making in critical work environments.