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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
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.
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.
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