Asymmetric switch costs as sequential difficulty effects.
When switching between tasks of unequal difficulty, there is often a larger switch cost for the easy task than for the difficult task. The authors propose a new account of these asymmetric switch costs based on sequential difficulty effects. They argue that the asymmetry arises from impaired performance after a difficult trial regardless of whether the task switches or repeats. Empirical support for this idea is provided in two experiments on arithmetic task switching in which asymmetries are observed for secondary difficulty manipulations, even in the context of arithmetic task repetitions. The authors discuss how their sequential difficulty account might explain asymmetric restart costs in addition to asymmetric switch costs and how sequential difficulty effects might be explained by resource depletion involving executive control or working memory.
Schneider
Darryl W
DW
Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. dws@cmu.edu
Anderson
John R
JR
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003657:Decision Making; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D009042:Motivation; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012691:Serial Learning; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities
J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 2001 Aug;27(4):763-97
11518143
Psychol Rev. 1990 Jul;97(3):332-61
2200075
Mem Cognit. 1973 Sep;1(3):383-6
24214573
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2005 Mar;31(2):337-50
15755249
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2000 Sep;129(3):308-39
11006903
Mem Cognit. 1984 Mar;12(2):171-80
6727639
Cogn Sci. 2001;25(3):315-353
19079561
Psychol Aging. 1993 Jun;8(2):242-56
8323728
Psychophysiology. 2000 Sep;37(5):614-25
11037038
Cogn Psychol. 2003 Jun;46(4):361-413
12809680
Psychon Bull Rev. 2009 Dec;16(6):1112-7
19966264
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2005 Sep;31(5):1001-29
16248748
Can J Exp Psychol. 2008 Jun;62(2):91-100
18572986
Psychol Bull. 1994 Sep;116(2):220-44
7972591
Mem Cognit. 2008 Jun;36(4):735-48
18604957
Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Feb;13(1):145-51
16724782
Psychol Res. 2000;63(3-4):250-64
11004879
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2005 Nov;31(6):1477-91
16393058
Mem Cognit. 2006 Mar;34(2):433-44
16752606
Mem Cognit. 2008 Sep;36(6):1094-102
18927028
Psychol Bull. 1991 Mar;109(2):163-203
2034749
J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 2007 Aug;33(4):978-94
17683241
Psychol Rev. 2008 Jul;115(3):602-39
18729594
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2001 Jun;130(2):299-315
11409105
Acta Psychol (Amst). 2003 May;113(1):45-65
12679043
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2007 May;136(2):241-55
17500649
Psychol Sci. 2002 Jan;13(1):27-33
11892775
J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 2003 Jun;29(3):575-99
12848327
Mem Cognit. 1986 Nov;14(6):478-87
3796285
Mem Cognit. 1985 Nov;13(6):538-56
3831711
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2000 Sep;26(5):1124-40
11009248
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2001 Dec;130(4):641-57
11757873
Mem Cognit. 2003 Jul;31(5):738-45
12956238
Cogn Psychol. 1996 Jun;30(3):221-56
8660785
Cognition. 2008 Apr;107(1):218-37
18036516
Mem Cognit. 2006 Sep;34(6):1250-9
17225506
Cogn Psychol. 2002 May;44(3):297-337
11971634
J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform. 2003 Apr;29(2):455-69
12760628
Mem Cognit. 1990 Jul;18(4):407-18
2381319
Behav Res Methods. 2006 May;38(2):280-6
16956104
Cogn Psychol. 2007 Aug;55(1):37-85
17078941
Exp Brain Res. 2002 Jun;144(4):528-37
12037637
Can J Exp Psychol. 2009 Mar;63(1):8-23
19271811
Mem Cognit. 2010 Mar;38(2):176-85
20173190
Psychol Res. 2007 Jul;71(4):467-83
16622702
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2005 Aug;134(3):343-67
16131268
Trends Cogn Sci. 2003 Mar;7(3):134-140
12639695
Neuropsychologia. 2007 Apr 8;45(7):1571-9
17227678
Psychol Rev. 2004 Oct;111(4):1036-60
15482072
Mem Cognit. 2000 Jul;28(5):774-82
10983451
J Exp Psychol. 1966 Feb;71(2):264-72
5948188
Psychol Rev. 1958 Jan;65(1):14-21
13505978
Psychol Rev. 2001 Jul;108(3):624-52
11488380
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2007 Mar;33(2):370-8
17352618
Psychol Res. 2005 Mar;69(4):252-61
15750868
Psychon Bull Rev. 2008 Feb;15(1):128-34
18605492
Mem Cognit. 2010 Apr;38(3):322-32
20234022
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2009 Feb;62(2):209-18
18720281
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2001 Jan;27(1):117-38
11204093
J Exp Psychol Gen. 2001 Dec;130(4):764-78
11757879
J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2003 May;29(3):362-72
12776747