Dual effects of dual-tasking on instrumental learning

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Reinforcement learning (RL) is often considered a procedural, automatic learning system.
• The extent to which executive functions, such as working memory, influence RL is debated.
• Previous research often fails to disentangle RL from working memory contributions during learning tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether taxing higher executive functions disrupts a putatively lower-level, procedural reinforcement learning (RL) system.
• To examine the influence of cognitive load on RL when working memory's role is computationally separated.
• To explore the relationship between executive functions and subcortical learning processes.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a computational framework to separate working memory and RL contributions during instrumental learning.
• Employed dual-task paradigms across three experiments to impose cognitive load.
• Assessed the impact of dual-tasking on RL performance while controlling for working memory demands.

Main Results:

• Dual-tasking significantly disrupted reinforcement learning (RL) performance.
• This disruption occurred even when RL was isolated from working memory's influence.
• Results suggest cognitive load interferes with both working memory and RL systems concurrently.

Conclusions:

• Reinforcement learning (RL) is not as automatic as previously conceived.
• Executive functions are tightly linked with subcortical learning processes, influencing procedural learning.
• Methodological considerations for dual-task studies in learning are highlighted, emphasizing potential interference across multiple cognitive systems.