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Cognitive control beyond single-item tasks: Insights from pupillometry, gaze, and behavioral measures
Laoura Ziaka1, Athanassios Protopapas1
1Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo.
Summary
Cognitive control tasks presented simultaneously (multi-item) impair performance and increase cognitive load, unlike single-item tasks. This suggests capacity limitations in cognitive control research.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Factors
Background:
- Cognitive control research traditionally uses single-item tasks, limiting generalizability.
- Task format (single-item vs. multi-item) influences cognitive control demands.
- Understanding these differences is crucial for accurate cognitive control theories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of single-item versus multi-item task formats on cognitive control.
- To explore performance, pupillometry, and gaze patterns during Stroop tasks.
- To examine capacity constraints in cognitive control based on task format.
Main Methods:
- Simultaneous pupillometry, gaze tracking, and behavioral responses were recorded.
- Participants completed both single-item and multi-item versions of the Stroop task.
- Within-task performance changes were analyzed across different conditions.
Main Results:
- Multi-item Stroop tasks showed within-task performance decline, pupil constriction, and increased dwell time.
- These effects occurred in both incongruent and neutral conditions for multi-item tasks.
- Single-item Stroop tasks did not exhibit performance decline or increased dwell time.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest capacity constraints in cognitive control, particularly in multi-item task formats.
- Multi-item tasks impose greater cognitive demands than single-item tasks.
- Further research is needed to understand the cognitive demands of multi-item tasks.
