title: Who is talking in backward crosstalk? Disentangling response- from goal-conflict in dual-task performance.
abstract: Responses in the second of two subsequently performed tasks can speed up compatible responses in the temporally preceding first task. Such backward crosstalk effects (BCEs) represent a challenge to the assumption of serial processing in stage models of human information processing, because they indicate that certain features of the second response have to be represented before the first response is emitted. Which of these features are actually relevant for BCEs is an open question, even though identifying these features is important for understanding the nature of parallel and serial response selection processes in dual-task performance. Motivated by effect-based models of action control, we show in three experiments that the BCE to a considerable degree reflects features of intended action effects, although features of the response proper (or response-associated kinesthetic feedback) also seem to play a role. These findings suggest that the codes of action effects (or action goals) can become activated simultaneously rather than serially, thereby creating BCEs.
authors.affiliation: University of Würzburg, Department of Psychology III, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany. Electronic address: markus.janczyk@uni-wuerzburg.de.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Janczyk
authors.affiliation: University of Würzburg, Department of Psychology III, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pfister
authors.affiliation: Leiden University, Department of Psychology, Cognitive Psychology Unit, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hommel
authors.affiliation: University of Würzburg, Department of Psychology III, Röntgenring 11, 97070 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Wilfried
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kunde
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012033:Refractory Period, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Action effects; Backward crosstalk; Dual-tasking; Goals; Ideomotor theory