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Executive control of cognitive processes in task switching.

J S Rubinstein1, D E Meyer, J E Evans

  • 1William J. Hughes Technical Center, Federal Aviation Administration, Atlantic City, New Jersey 08405, USA. Josh.Rubinstein@tc.faa.gov

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance
|August 24, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Switching between tasks incurs time costs that worsen with complex rules but improve with cues. Executive control models explain task switching by goal-shifting and rule activation, with familiar-to-unfamiliar task shifts being slower.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

  • Task switching is a fundamental aspect of executive functions.
  • Understanding the cognitive mechanisms underlying task switching is crucial for optimizing performance in complex environments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the factors influencing task switching costs.
  • To examine the additive effects of task complexity, familiarity, and cuing on performance.
  • To test a model of executive control involving goal-shifting and rule activation.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments were conducted with participants performing alternating or repeated tasks.
  • Tasks involved either geometric object classification or arithmetic problem-solving with varying rules.

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  • Performance was analyzed based on rule complexity, task familiarity, and the presence of visual cues.

    • Main Results:

    • Task alternation resulted in switching-time costs.
    • Costs increased with rule complexity and decreased with task cuing.
    • The effects of these factors were additive.
    • Switching from familiar to unfamiliar tasks was slower than the reverse.

    Conclusions:

    • Executive control in task switching involves distinct goal-shifting and rule-activation stages.
    • Rule activation is influenced by task familiarity, with a greater cost when shifting to unfamiliar tasks.
    • Task cuing can mitigate switching costs, suggesting its role in efficient executive control.