On the origins of the task mixing cost in the cuing task-switching paradigm.
Poorer performance in conditions involving task repetition within blocks of mixed tasks relative to task repetition within blocks of single task is called mixing cost (MC). In 2 experiments exploring 2 hypotheses regarding the origins of MC, participants either switched between cued shape and color tasks, or they performed them as single tasks. Experiment 1 supported the hypothesis that mixed-tasks trials require the resolution of task ambiguity by showing that MC existed only with ambiguous stimuli that afforded both tasks and not with unambiguous stimuli affording only 1 task. Experiment 2 failed to support the hypothesis that holding multiple task sets in working memory (WM) generates MC by showing that systematic manipulation of the number of stimulus-response rules in WM did not affect MC. The results emphasize the role of competition management between task sets during task control.
Rubin
Orit
O
Department of Behavioral Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. orit@nite.org.il
Meiran
Nachshon
N
D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D011930:Reaction Time