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Working memory and the control of action: evidence from task switching
A Baddeley1, D Chincotta, A Adlam
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Bristol, England.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|January 5, 2002
Summary
Investigating working memory in task switching revealed that executive tasks impact all operations, while articulatory suppression specifically hinders switching between tasks like addition and subtraction.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Factors
Background:
- Task switching is a fundamental cognitive process.
- Working memory plays a crucial role in managing complex cognitive tasks.
- Understanding action control and verbal control is vital for cognitive models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of working memory in action control during task switching.
- To examine the effects of different concurrent tasks on performance during switching between arithmetic operations.
- To explore implications for cognitive models and theories of verbal control.
Main Methods:
- Employed dual-task methodology across 7 experiments.
- Utilized simple action-control programs involving regular switching between addition and subtraction.
- Introduced concurrent executive tasks and articulatory suppression to assess working memory load.
Main Results:
- Switching between addition and subtraction was slower than performing tasks in blocked lists.
- Demanding executive tasks impaired performance on both blocked and switched lists.
- Articulatory suppression primarily impaired performance on switched lists, suggesting specific interference with the switching mechanism.
Conclusions:
- Working memory, particularly executive functions, is critical for efficient task switching.
- Articulatory suppression's impact highlights the role of verbal processing in managing task-set reconfiguration.
- Findings support models of task switching and working memory, and inform the Vygotskian concept of verbal control of action.
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