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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 7, 2026

VisualEyes: A Modular Software System for Oculomotor Experimentation
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Interplay between switching, inhibition, and mental attention: An exploratory eye-tracking study.

Zhanna Chuikova1,2, Anna Izmalkova3, Andriy Myachykov3,4

  • 1Cognitive Health and Intelligence Centre, Institute for Cognitive Neuroscience, HSE University, Moscow, Russian Federation. zhanna7496@mail.ru.

Psychological Research
|January 13, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Cognitive flexibility (CF) enhances performance in demanding tasks by improving information processing. High CF, particularly multidimensional switching, correlates with better task outcomes and distinct eye-movement patterns under mental attentional demand.

Keywords:
Cognitive flexibilityCognitive loadEye movementsMental attention

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive psychology and neuroscience.
  • Investigating higher-order cognitive processes and their psychophysiological correlates.

Background:

  • Cognitive flexibility (CF) is crucial for adapting to changing environments and task demands.
  • The role of CF in high-demand tasks and its relationship with inhibitory control and working memory remain underexplored.
  • Understanding these relationships is key to optimizing performance in complex cognitive tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between cognitive flexibility (CF) and inhibition metrics under varying levels of mental attentional demand (Md).
  • To explore differences in eye-movement patterns between individuals with high and low CF during tasks with varied Md.
  • To elucidate the psychophysiological underpinnings of cognitive flexibility in complex tasks.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized cognitive flexibility, inhibition, and mental attention tasks with 42 young participants.
  • Recorded eye-movement data during the mental attention task.
  • Analyzed correlations between switching abilities (2D vs. 3D) and cognitive metrics (inhibitory control, mental attentional capacity).

Main Results:

  • Multidimensional switching (3 rules) correlated with mental attentional capacity, while two-dimensional switching (2 rules) correlated with inhibitory control.
  • Individuals with high multidimensional switching efficiency showed superior performance across all Md levels.
  • High-efficiency performers exhibited distinct eye-movement patterns: more fixations, shorter fixation durations, and fewer blinks, especially at higher Md.

Conclusions:

  • Cognitive flexibility, particularly multidimensional switching, is linked to mental attentional capacity and superior performance under cognitive load.
  • Eye-movement patterns serve as psychophysiological indicators of cognitive efficiency and attentional demand.
  • Findings offer insights into cognitive theory and practical applications for performance optimization.