Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching

Rubinstein, Joshua S., Meyer, David E., Evans, Jeffrey E.·2001·Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance
DOI 10.1037//0096-1523.27.4.763

Abstract

In 4 experiments, participants alternated between different tasks or performed the same task repeatedly. The tasks for 2 of the experiments required responding to geometric objects in terms of alternative classification rules, and the tasks for the other 2 experiments required solving arithmetic problems in terms of alternative numerical operations. Performance was measured as a function of whether the tasks were familiar or unfamiliar, the rules were simple or complex, and visual cues were present or absent about which tasks should be performed. Task alternation yielded switching-time costs that increased with rule complexity but decreased with task cuing. These factor effects were additive, supporting a model of executive control that has goal-shifting and rule-activation stages for task switching. It appears that rule activation takes more time for switching from familiar to unfamiliar tasks than for switching in the opposite direction.

Cites (7)

  1. Studies of interference in serial verbal reactions
    Stroop, J. R. · 1935 · Journal of Experimental Psychology
  2. Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending, and a general theory
    Shiffrin, Richard M., Schneider, Walter · 1977 · Psychological Review
  3. Human Error
    Reason, James · 1990
  4. From Neuropsychology to Mental Structure
    Shallice, Tim · 1988
  5. Costs of a predictible switch between simple cognitive tasks.
    Rogers, Robert D., Monsell, Stephen · 1995 · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
  6. Dimensional overlap: cognitive basis for stimulus-response compatibility-a model and taxonomy
    Kornblum, Sylvan, Hasbroucq, Thierry, Osman, Allen · 1990 · Psychological Review
  7. On the time relations of mental processes: An examination of systems of processes in cascade.
    McClelland, James L. · 1979 · Psychological Review

Show all 7 references

Cited by (59)

  1. The ‘digital natives’ debate: A critical review of the evidence
    Bennett, Sue, Maton, Karl, Kervin, Lisa · 2008 · British Journal of Educational Technology
  2. Task switching
    Monsell, Stephen · 2003 · Trends in Cognitive Sciences
  3. The relations among inhibition and interference control functions: A latent-variable analysis.
    Friedman, Naomi P., Miyake, Akira · 2004 · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
  4. Neuroimaging studies of working memory:
    Wager, Tor D., Smith, Edward E. · 2003 · Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
  5. The neural basis of error detection: Conflict monitoring and the error-related negativity
    Yeung, Nick, Botvinick, Matthew M., Cohen, Jonathan D. · 2004 · Psychological Review

See all 1,207