title: Task reconfiguration and carryover in task switching: an event-related potential study.
abstract: This study investigated the electrophysiological correlates of the processes involved in task switching. A pair-wise task-switching paradigm was used where each trial comprised two tasks that were either the same (task repeat) or different (task switch). In the paradigm, task-switch and repeat trials are compared in conditions of foreknowledge and non-foreknowledge of the forthcoming task type and during different response-stimulus intervals (RSIs). The results of this study show that, before the second task began in a task-pair trial, i.e., during the RSI, there was a CNV-like negativity for all trials. This indicates a general anticipatory effect. In foreknowledge conditions, there is an additional switch-specific reconfiguration process followed by a task-specific (including both switch- and repeat-related) preparatory process. During the post-task 2 stage, P3b was found to be smaller in switch trials than in repeat trials. Such differential P3b between switch and repeat trials appeared earlier and larger in foreknowledge than in non-foreknowledge conditions. The results of this study support the existence of advance preparation and uphold the role of carryover effects in task switching.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, National Chung Cheng University, 168 University Road, Min-Hsiung, Chia-Yi 621, Taiwan. psyhsl@ccu.edu.tw
authors.forename: Shulan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Poyu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000379:methods; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D013997:Time Factors