The impact of stimulus format on task inhibition during task switching

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefano Sdoia ◽  
Pierpaolo Zivi ◽  
Fabio Ferlazzo
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Stimulus Format ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Psychometric proprieties of a color-shape version of the switch task

Neurology ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (23 Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. S4.1-S4
Author(s):  
Veronik Sicard ◽  
Alexe Simard ◽  
Robert Davis Moore ◽  
Gabriel Lavoie ◽  
Dave Ellemberg
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Convergent Validity ◽  
Switch Cost ◽  
Intraclass Correlation ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Health Concern ◽  
Switch Costs ◽  
Main Effect ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
The Impact

The impact of concussions on an individual's cognitive functioning has become a growing health concern over the past several years; however, the search for sensitive tests persists. The task-switching paradigm is known to be sensitive to various medical conditions, including concussion. Accordingly, we developed 2 versions of the color-shape switch task. Three different costs are computed from the raw scores: global switch cost, which is thought to be a measure of global cognitive control; local switch cost, which is believed to be a measure of cognitive flexibility; and working memory cost. The aim of this study was to evaluate psychometric characteristics of these costs. An ANOVA revealed a main effect of sex on local latency switch cost, with females exhibiting longer latencies than males, p = 0.05. No main effect of sex was observed on any other switch costs. Moreover, no main effect of experimenter or version of the task was observed. Local switch cost was significantly correlated with trails 4 and 5 of the Comprehensive Trail Making Test (rs > 0.21, ps < 0.04). No other significant correlation between costs and established neuropsychological tests was observed, indicating low convergent validity. The intraclass correlation coefficient estimates ranged from 0.23 to 0.77, suggesting low-to-moderate 1-week test-retest reliability. Results indicated a low switch costs; convergent validity. Moreover, results show that the traditionally computed switch costs are less reliable than the primary outcomes (i.e., reaction time and accuracy). Researchers and clinicians should rely on primary variables from the task-switching paradigm rather than computing the traditional switch costs to increase the psychometric properties of the tasks which is critical to advances in theoretical models of executive functions and evaluations of clinical populations.

scholarly journals The effect of performing versus preparing a task on the subsequent switch cost

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Swainson ◽  
Laura Prosser ◽  
Kostadin Karavasilev ◽  
Aleksandra Romanczuk
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Relative Size ◽  
Limited Extent ◽  
Two Stage ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Sequence Of Events ◽  
Switch Costs ◽  
Task Preparation ◽  
Switching Models ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Behaviour occurs not as isolated incidents, but within an ongoing sequence of events. The task-switching paradigm provides a useful way to investigate the impact of different events upon subsequent performance. An implication of two-stage task-switching models is that preparing a task without performing it might affect task readiness only to a limited extent. However, recent research has surprisingly shown larger switch costs following preparation (“cue-only” trials) than following performance (“completed” trials). We set out to conduct a rigorous comparison of the size of switch costs following cue-only versus completed trials. In Experiments 1 and 2, we controlled the timing between critical trial events. This had the effect of roughly equating, but not reversing, the relative size of switch costs. In Experiment 3, we restructured the paradigm to equate the predictability of cue and target events. Switch costs following cue-only trials were now smaller than those following completed trials. These studies confirm that task preparation alone is sufficient to drive subsequent switch costs. They also indicate that task performance might increase the size of these costs, consistent with two-stage task-switching models. Switch costs appear to be affected by both the timing and predictability of trial events.

The impact of cue format and cue transparency on task switching performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 1346-1369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miriam Gade ◽  
Marco Steinhauser
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Switching Performance ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Different impact of task switching and response-category conflict on subsequent memory

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle C. Muhmenthaler ◽  
Beat Meier
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Perceptual Load ◽  
Recall Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Response Category ◽  
Stimulus Category ◽  
Impaired Memory ◽  
Different Types ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe impact of cognitive control demands on long-term memory is mixed, with some conflicts leading to better, others leading to worse subsequent memory. The current study was designed to investigate how different types of cognitive control demands modulate the effects on memory. At study, participants had to switch between two classification tasks and later, free recall performance was assessed. The stimuli consisted of two interleaved words, one word had to be categorized and the other word had to be ignored. In four experiments, the congruency between target and ignored words was manipulated by changing the distractor category. This allowed us to investigate the impact of different types of conflict (i.e., task switching, perceptual load, response-category conflict, stimulus-category conflict). The results revealed that task switching impaired memory in all experiments. In Experiment 1, higher perceptual load also impaired memory. Experiments 2–4 showed that the co-activation of two words which required different responses (i.e., response-category conflict) enhanced memory performance but only when the conflict stimuli were presented in pure blocks. Overall, memory performance seems to depend on attentional policies. Withdrawing attention from target encoding results in lower memory performance. In contrast, focusing attention on the target results in enhanced memory performance.

scholarly journals Math anxiety and executive function: Neural influences of task switching on arithmetic processing

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel Pizzie ◽  
Nikita Raman ◽  
David J. M. Kraemer
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Neural Activity ◽  
Math Anxiety ◽  
Math Performance ◽  
Negative Thoughts ◽  
Neural Influences ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Insight Into

Math anxiety (MA) is associated with negative thoughts and emotions when encountering mathematics, often resulting in under-performance on math tasks. One hypothesized mechanism by which MA affects performance is through anxiety-related increases in working memory (WM) load, diverting resources away from mathematical computations. Here we examine whether this effect is specific to WM, or whether the impact of MA extends to an overall depletion of executive function (EF) resources. In this fMRI experiment, we manipulated two separate factors known to impact EF demands—task-switching (TS) and increased WM load—in order to evaluate how MA relates to behavioral performance and neural activity related to mathematical calculations. Relative to a difficult non-math task (analogies), we observed MA-related deficits in math performance and reduced neural activity in a network of regions in the brain associated with arithmetic processing. In response to TS demands, higher levels of math anxiety were associated with a pattern of avoidance and disengagement. When switching from the control task, high math anxiety (HMA) was associated with disengagement from math trials, speeding through these trials and exhibiting reduced neural activity in regions associated with arithmetic processing. The effects of math anxiety and WM were most pronounced at the lowest levels of WM load. Overall, the results of this study indicate that the effects of MA are broader than previously demonstrated, and provide further insight into how EF deficits in MA might impact recruitment of neural resources that are important for successful math computations.

scholarly journals Task Switching Hurts Memory Encoding

2019 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 58-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michèle C. Muhmenthaler ◽  
Beat Meier
Keyword(s):  
Recognition Memory ◽  
Task Switching ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Memory Encoding ◽  
Semantic Classification ◽  
Switch Costs ◽  
Classification Tasks ◽  
The Impact

Abstract. Research consistently shows that task switching slows down performance on switch compared to repeat trials, but the consequences on memory are less clear. In the present study, we investigated the impact of task switching on subsequent memory performance. Participants had to switch between two semantic classification tasks. In Experiment 1, the stimuli were univalent; in Experiment 2, the stimuli were bivalent (relevant for both tasks). The aim was to disentangle the conflicts triggered by task switching and bivalency. In both experiments, recognition memory for switch and repeat stimuli was tested subsequently. During encoding, task switching produced switch costs. Critically, subsequent memory was lower for switch compared to repeat stimuli in both experiments, and this effect was increased in Experiment 2 with bivalent material. We suggest that the requirement to switch tasks hurts the encoding of task-relevant information and thus impairs subsequent memory performance.

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