Automatic and intentional activation of task sets.
Four experiments examined automatic and intentional activation of task sets in a switching paradigm. Experiment 1 demonstrated incidental task sequence learning that was not accompanied by verbalizable task sequence knowledge. This learning did not affect task shift cost and may be attributed to automatic task-set activation. In Experiment 2, both shift cost and learning effect increased when the response-cue interval was short, indicating the influence of residual, persisting activation of the preceding task set. In Experiment 3, learning disappeared with a long cue-stimulus interval (CSI), which resulted in a strong preparation effect. This preparation, however, reduced reaction time level but was not specific to task shifts. Finally, Experiment 4 showed that a within-subject C
Koch
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I
Max Planck Institute for Psychological Research, München, Germany. iring.koch@mpipf-muenchen.mpg.de
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time; D012718:Set, Psychology