[…] a modern adaptive behavior of continuously dividing one’s attention. Stone has clarified that continuous partial attention is not the same as multi-tasking. Where multi-tasking is driven by a conscious desire to be productive and efficient, CPA is an automatic process motivated only by “a desire to be a live node on the network” or by the willingness to connect and stay connected, scanning and optimizing opportunities, activities and contacts in an effort to not miss anything that is going on.

(“Continuous Partial Attention” 2022)

Bibliography

“Continuous Partial Attention.” 2022. Wikipedia, May. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Continuous_partial_attention&oldid=1087641342.