title: Motor limitation in dual-task processing under ballistic movement conditions.
abstract: The standard bottleneck model of the psychological refractory period (PRP) assumes that the selection of the second response is postponed until the first response has been selected. Accordingly, dual-task interference is attributed to a single central-processing bottleneck involving decision and response selection, but not the execution of the response itself. In order to critically examine the assumption that response execution is not part of this bottleneck, we systematically manipulated the temporal demand for executing the first response in a classical PRP paradigm. Contrary to the assumption of the standard bottleneck model, this manipulation affected the reaction time for Task 2. Specifically, reaction time for Task 2 increased with execution time for Task 1. This carryover effect from Task 1 to Task 2 provides evidence for the notion that response execution can be part of the processing bottleneck.
authors.affiliation: University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. rolf.ulrich@uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: Rolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ulrich
authors.forename: Susana Ruiz
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Ines
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jentzsch
authors.forename: Bettina
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rolke
authors.forename: Hannes
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schröter
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Leuthold
mesh_terms: D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D009068:Movement; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time