Exploring task switch costs in a color-shape decision task via a mouse tracking paradigm.

The role of cue processing has become a controversial topic in research on cognitive control using task-switching procedures. Some authors suggested a priming account to explain switch costs as a form of encoding benefit when the cue from the previous trial is repeated and hence challenged theories that attribute task-switch costs to task-set (re)configuration. A rich body of empirical evidence has evolved that indeed shows that cue-encoding repetition priming is an important component in task switching. However, these studies also demonstrate that there are usually substantial “true” task-switch costs. Here, we review this behavioral, electrophysiological, and brain imaging evidence. Moreover, we describe alternative approaches to the explicit task-cuing procedure, such as the usage of transition cues or the task-span procedure. In addition, we address issues related to the type of cue, such as cue transparency. We also discuss methodological and theoretical implications and argue that the explicit task-cuing procedure is suitable to address issues of cognitive control and task-set switching.

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Reading minds in motion: Mouse tracking reveals transposed-character effects in Chinese compound word recognition

Applied Psycholinguistics ◽

10.1017/s0142716420000181 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (4) ◽

pp. 727-751

Author(s):

Yu-Cheng Lin ◽

Pei-Ying Lin

Keyword(s):

Word Recognition ◽

Word Frequency ◽

Grade Level ◽

Dominant Role ◽

Vocabulary Knowledge ◽

Compound Word ◽

Decision Task ◽

Mouse Tracking ◽

Whole Word ◽

Compound Word Recognition

AbstractThis study investigated the development of character transposition effects during Chinese compound word recognition via computer mouse movements instead of the conventional key presses. Empirical evidence to reveal the impacts of vocabulary knowledge, grade level, and whole word frequency on Chinese transposed-character effect is lacking. In the present study, we measured the transposed-character effect in two groups of Taiwanese children (second and fourth graders) in a mouse-tracking lexical-decision task including nonwords derived from real words by transposing two characters (e.g., “習學” from “學習” [learning]) and control nonwords in which two characters are replaced (e.g., “以修”). Our results indicate that participants showed longer mouse movement times and larger spatial attraction in recognizing transposed-character nonwords than in replaced-character nonwords, suggesting that the dominant role of whole-word representation in processing Chinese compound words. Our results also further demonstrate that how the degree of character transposition was affected by vocabulary knowledge, grade level, and word frequency.

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Shifting Attention Between Visual Dimensions as a Source of Switch Costs

Psychological Science ◽

10.1177/0956797616686855 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 470-481 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Heike Elchlepp ◽

Maisy Best ◽

Aureliu Lavric ◽

Stephen Monsell

Keyword(s):

Switch Cost ◽

Task Switch ◽

Relevant Stimulus ◽

Color Classification ◽

Perceptual Dimension ◽

Response Mapping ◽

Stimulus Response ◽

Switch Costs ◽

Residual Switch Cost ◽

Letter Task

Task-switching experiments have documented a puzzling phenomenon: Advance warning of the switch reduces but does not eliminate the switch cost. Theoretical accounts have posited that the residual switch cost arises when one selects the relevant stimulus–response mapping, leaving earlier perceptual processes unaffected. We put this assumption to the test by seeking electrophysiological markers of encoding a perceptual dimension. Participants categorized a colored letter as a vowel or consonant or its color as “warm” or “cold.” Orthogonally to the color manipulation, some colors were eight times more frequent than others, and the letters were in upper- or lowercase. Color frequency modulated the electroencephalogram amplitude at around 150 ms when participants repeated the color-classification task. When participants switched from the letter task to the color task, this effect was significantly delayed. Thus, even when prepared for, a task switch delays or prolongs encoding of the relevant perceptual dimension.

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On the connection between language control and executive control - An ERP study

Neurobiology of Language ◽

10.1162/nol_a_00032 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-47

Author(s):

Mathieu Declerck ◽

Gabriela Meade ◽

Katherine J. Midgley ◽

Phillip J. Holcomb ◽

Ardi Roelofs ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Task Switching ◽

Executive Control ◽

Color Naming ◽

Event Related Potential ◽

Task Switch ◽

Control Processes ◽

Switch Costs ◽

Goal Level ◽

Language Control ◽

And Task

Models vary in the extent to which language control processes are domain general. Those that posit that language control is at least partially domain general insist on an overlap between language control and executive control at the goal level. To further probe whether or not language control is domain general, we conducted the first event-related potential (ERP) study that directly compares language-switch costs, as an index of language control, and task-switch costs, as an index of executive control. The language switching and task switching methodology were identical, except that the former required switching between languages (English or Spanish) whereas the latter required switching between tasks (color naming or category naming). This design allowed us to directly compare control processes at the goal level (cue-locked ERPs) and at the task performance level (picture-locked ERPs). We found no significant differences in the switch-related cue-locked and picture-locked ERP patterns across the language and task switching paradigms. These results support models of domain-general language control.

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Prejudiced or Just Smart?

Zeitschrift für Psychologie / Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1027/0044-3409/a000008 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 218 (1) ◽

pp. 51-53 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Rul von Stülpnagel ◽

Melanie C. Steffens

Keyword(s):

Processing Speed ◽

Theoretical Framework ◽

Implicit Cognition ◽

Task Switch ◽

Implicit Association ◽

Association Tests ◽

Switch Costs

Implicit Association Tests (IATs) are well-known measures of implicit cognition, particularly attitudes. Previous studies reported that IATs are affected by method-specific variance: IAT effects of more intelligent people may appear smaller due to their reduced task-switch costs. In contrast, based on a theoretical framework that assumes IAT effects to depend on successful recoding of the congruent IAT task, larger IAT effects are expected for more intelligent people. We tested the hypothesis that intelligence can bias IAT effects with different IATs. General processing speed was also assessed. Two studies indicated faster and more intelligent participants to have larger IAT effects in some, but not all, IATs.

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