Rapid instructed task learning (but not automatic effects of instructions) is influenced by working memory load

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Rapid Instructed Task Learning (RITL) and automatic instruction effects are crucial for immediate task performance.
• Working memory (WM) is hypothesized to support both RITL and automaticity, but evidence is mixed.
• Understanding the distinct roles of WM in these processes is key to cognitive function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of working memory (WM) load in Rapid Instructed Task Learning (RITL) and instruction-based automaticity.
• To examine whether increased WM load differentially affects rule implementation versus automatic rule activation.
• To clarify the cognitive mechanisms underlying immediate task learning and automatic responses to instructions.

Main Methods:

• Manipulated WM load by varying the number of novel task rules presented.
• Utilized the NEXT paradigm with mini-blocks including instruction, NEXT (automatic activation), and GO (RITL) phases.
• Measured performance in RITL and automatic rule activation under different WM load conditions across three experiments.

Main Results:

• Increased WM load significantly impaired Rapid Instructed Task Learning (RITL), indicating difficulty in rule implementation.
• Automatic effects of instructions, measured during the NEXT phase, were not robustly influenced by increased WM load.
• A dissociation was observed: RITL performance was sensitive to WM load, while automatic instruction effects were not.

Conclusions:

• Working memory resources are critical for the implementation of instructed rules (RITL) but not for the automatic activation of those rules.
• These findings suggest distinct neural or cognitive mechanisms underlying RITL and instruction-based automaticity.
• The results challenge the notion that WM uniformly supports all aspects of immediate task learning and instruction processing.