Interruption Value Type and Source Matter in Different Phases of an Interruption Process: Emotional/Cognitive Impact and Neural Evidence

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effect of interruption value type (utilitarian, hedonic) and source (external, internal) in different phases of an interruption process. Background: Prior studies on interruption mostly focused on the cognitive outcomes of utilitarian interruptions. Hedonic interruptions are common in life; however, they are not sufficiently explored through research. Hedonic value is closely associated with emotional experiences, and, in turn, influences behaviors. Moreover, the way the effect of values is moderated by interruptions initiated by intrinsic motives is worth exploring. Method: A 2 × 2 mixed design experiment was conducted with 48 participants who were asked to respond to instant messages during the writing task. The interruption value was induced by work or non-work tasks. The interruption source was manipulated by providing an alert. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy, behavioral data, and subjective measurements were collected and analyzed. Results: Hedonic interruptions increased emotional valence, while utilitarian interruptions decreased it. These effects were strengthened by internal interruptions. The effect of interruption value type on work exhaustion was also moderated by the source. Interruption value type and source influenced the attention allocation before an interruption occurred. Hedonic interruptions led to longer resumption lags, whereas utilitarian interruptions required longer interruption durations. Internal interruptions led to improved performance in the resumed task. Conclusion: Interruption source modulate the effect of interruption value type, especially on emotional experience and attention allocation before an interruption occurs. Application: Self-initiated hedonic interruptions have emotional benefits, while alerts for utilitarian interruptions will improve attention on the main task before interruptions.