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Action control in task switching: do action effects modulate N - 2 repetition costs in task switching?
Stefanie Schuch1, Angelika Sommer2, Sarah Lukas2
1Institute of Psychology, RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstr. 17-19, 52066, Aachen, Germany. schuch@psych.rwth-aachen.de.
Psychological Research
|November 18, 2017
Summary
Task-contingent action effects may reduce inhibitory control during task switching. This study found that experiencing these effects decreased N-2 repetition costs, suggesting less task inhibition in multitasking scenarios.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Ideomotor theory suggests actions are guided by anticipated effects.
- Response-contingent action effects influence performance in reaction time tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate if task-contingent action effects impact N-2 repetition costs in task switching.
- Determine if these effects reduce between-task interference and inhibitory control.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a task-switching paradigm with two groups: experimental (task-contingent effects) and control (non-contingent effects).
- Compared N-2 repetition costs across blocks of trials, analyzing both error rates and reaction times.
Main Results:
- A significant three-way interaction indicated differential patterns between groups.
- The experimental group showed increased N-2 repetition costs in the final block, unlike the control group.
- Reaction time data showed a similar trend, though not statistically significant.
Conclusions:
- Task-contingent action effects appear to reduce task inhibition during task switching.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the role of action effects in multitasking performance.
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