Time-Based Transition Expectancy in Task Switching: Do We Need to Know the Task to Switch to?. Issue 1 (10th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Aufschnaiter, Stefanie; Kiesel, Andrea; Thomaschke, Roland
• Is Part Of: Journal of cognition. Volume 4:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-03-10
• Subjects: Task switching -- timing -- time-based expectancy -- preparation; 153
• DOI: 10.5334/joc.145
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2514-4820

Abstract

Recent research has shown that humans are able to implicitly adapt to time-transition contingencies in a task-switching paradigm, indicated by better performance in trials where the task transition (switch vs. repetition) is validly predicted by the pre-target interval compared to trials with invalidly predicted transitions. As participants switched between only two different tasks, not only the transition, but also the specific task was predictable; at least indirectly when taking into account the temporally predicted transition in the current trial together with the task in the previous trial. In order to investigate if the time-based expectancy effect for transition in previous studies was due to a specific task preparation or due to an unspecific transition preparation, three different tasks were used in the present study. One of two possible pre-target intervals (500 and 1500 ms) predicted a task switch in the upcoming trial with 90 % probability, whereas the other interval predicted a task repetition with 90 % probability. Results revealed that participants were able to prepare both upcoming repetition as well as switch requirements based on predictive pre-target intervals. This means that humans seem to be able to prepare a task switch in a rather unspecific manner, most likely by inhibiting the task just performed in the previous trial. By suggesting a two-stage preparation model in which switches as well as repetitions benefit both from time-based transition expectancy, although apparently with different cognitive processes being involved, the present study provides important impulses for future research on the cognitive processes underlying human task-switching behavior.