Transfer of learned cognitive control settings within and between tasks.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Cognitive control adjusts based on learned conflict probability and stimulus features like color.
• Previous research indicates learned associations modulate cognitive control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if learning-guided cognitive control transfers to novel stimuli and tasks.
• To examine within-task and between-task transfer of learned control settings.

Main Methods:

• Item-specific proportion congruence (ISPC) manipulation in Stroop and Flanker tasks with mostly congruent (MC) and mostly incongruent (MI) colors.
• Transfer blocks with novel stimuli under the same or different tasks, using previously trained colors.

Main Results:

• Within-task transfer: Faster responses to incongruent transfer stimuli with MI colors compared to MC colors in both Stroop and Flanker tasks.
• Between-task transfer: Faster responses to incongruent transfer stimuli with previously MI colors compared to previously MC colors in a Stroop-to-Flanker task transfer.
• Transfer effects were observed in the initial phase of the second task but diminished over time.

Conclusions:

• Learned cognitive control settings are flexibly retrieved and applied to novel stimuli and tasks when predictive cues are present.
• Evidence supports both within-task and between-task transfer of learning-guided control.
• Findings have implications for understanding the mechanisms of cognitive control and learning transfer.