One of the most popular and common beliefs of our times is that women are better than men at performing many tasks at once. The notion that females have a unique gift for ‘multitasking’ has been constantly invoked by women in recent years, proof of their superior cognitive skills and innate, more holistic wisdom. It shows, literally, that they are not so narrow-minded. Likewise, this conceit has been deployed by many a lazy husband as an excuse not to pull his weight around the house: ‘You can’t expect me to look after the children and do the washing. We men are just not hard-wired that way.’

The tendency to comprehend male behaviour through feminine-tinted spectacles has created a consensus

The tendency to comprehend male behaviour through feminine-tinted spectacles has created a consensus

If we are to believe new findings unveiled this week, however, neither the boasting nor the excuses are justified. According to a study undertaken in conjunction at two London universities, women are not in fact better at multitasking than men. It’s just that women appear less rude when doing it.

The findings emerge from a report by André Szameitat, deputy director of the Centre for Cognitive and Clinical Neuroscience at Brunel University, and Diana Szameitat, of City St George’s, University of London, a married couple........

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