Research article summary:

Task-set reconfiguration with predictable and unpredictable task switches.

Abstract Extract:
Participants switched frequently between high/low and odd/even classification of a digit. The interval between a task cue and the next digit varied between blocks. In Experiment 1, the task switched predictably every two, four, or eight trials. In ... (Full abstract text below)

Published 2003Apr in Journal: Mem Cognit (Language : eng)

Full Pubmed Extract

This information was retrieved, real-time, on your behalf from the public area of the Pubmed website:

1. Mem Cognit. 2003 Apr;31(3):327-42

Task-set reconfiguration with predictable and unpredictable task switches.

Monsell S, Sumner P, Waters H

University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England. s.monsell@ex.ac.uk

Participants switched frequently between high/low and odd/even classification of a digit. The interval between a task cue and the next digit varied between blocks. In Experiment 1, the task switched predictably every two, four, or eight trials. In Experiment 2, switching predictably every four trials was compared with random switching. With predictable switching, the cost was limited to the first trial of a run. Random switching produced a more gradual approach to asymptotic performance. After one performance, control processes attenuate the resulting change in task-set bias if a further switch is likely, but this strategic modulation is soon overwhelmed by task-set priming through further performances. Preparation reduced switch costs but not interference from the irrelevant attribute: Control of interference appears to be reactive, not proactive. Switch costs did not increase with run length, suggesting that retrieval of the task set last associated with the stimulus did not contribute to switch costs.

PMID : 12795475 [PubMed - Indexed for MEDLINE]

This information is obtained from the National Library of Medicine (NLM). Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright. Type "NLM copyright" into Google for more information.

Full Author Information

First Name	LastName	Initials
Stephen	Monsell	S
Petroc	Sumner	P
Helen	Waters	H

Affiliation: University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England. s.monsell@ex.ac.uk

3rd Party provider links

Click the links below to go to related 3rd party information:

MESH categories and related page links

This article was linked to the MESH categories shown on the left below. The links on the right are related Memletics pages.

Links for this article

For links to places where you can get the full text of this article see links. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text.

New! Using similar technology to this site, we have launched find-health-articles.com, targeting over 1 million health research article abstracts.

Here are some articles related to this one (by title keywords):

>>> Get more research article abstracts like these, or browse abstracts.

Keywords in this article:

after, appears, approach, associated, asymptotic, attenuate, attribute, bias, blocks, change, classification, compared, contribute, control, cost, costs, cue, digit, eight, even, every, experiment, first, four, frequently, gradual, high, increase, interference, interval, irrelevant, last, length, likely, limited, low, modulation, more, next, not, odd, one, or, overwhelmed, participants, performance, performances, predictable, predictably, preparation, priming, proactive, processes, produced, random, reactive, reduced, resulting, retrieval, run, set, soon, stimulus, strategic, suggesting, switched, switching, task, trials, two, varied

Also, see our new free speed reading online course (beta version)