Cargando…
Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia
One influential explanation for the costs incurred when switching between tasks is that they reflect interference arising from completing the previous task—known as task-set inertia. We report a novel approach for assessing task-set inertia in a memory experiment using event-related potentials (ERPs...
Autores principales: | , , |
---|---|
Formato: | Online Artículo Texto |
Lenguaje: | English |
Publicado: |
SAGE Publications
2015
|
Materias: | |
Acceso en línea: | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4361352/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25626443 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797614561799 |
_version_ | 1782361625364267008 |
---|---|
author | Evans, Lisa H. Herron, Jane E. Wilding, Edward L. |
author_facet | Evans, Lisa H. Herron, Jane E. Wilding, Edward L. |
author_sort | Evans, Lisa H. |
collection | PubMed |
description | One influential explanation for the costs incurred when switching between tasks is that they reflect interference arising from completing the previous task—known as task-set inertia. We report a novel approach for assessing task-set inertia in a memory experiment using event-related potentials (ERPs). After a study phase, participants completed a test block in which they switched between a memory task (retrieving information from the study phase) and a perceptual task. These tasks alternated every two trials. An ERP index of the retrieval of study information was evident in the memory task. It was also present on the first trial of the perceptual task but was markedly attenuated on the second. Moreover, this task-irrelevant ERP activity was positively correlated with a behavioral cost associated with switching between tasks. This real-time measure of neural activity thus provides direct evidence of task-set inertia, its duration, and the functional role it plays in switch costs. |
format | Online Article Text |
id | pubmed-4361352 |
institution | National Center for Biotechnology Information |
language | English |
publishDate | 2015 |
publisher | SAGE Publications |
record_format | MEDLINE/PubMed |
spelling | pubmed-43613522015-04-10 Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia Evans, Lisa H. Herron, Jane E. Wilding, Edward L. Psychol Sci Research Articles One influential explanation for the costs incurred when switching between tasks is that they reflect interference arising from completing the previous task—known as task-set inertia. We report a novel approach for assessing task-set inertia in a memory experiment using event-related potentials (ERPs). After a study phase, participants completed a test block in which they switched between a memory task (retrieving information from the study phase) and a perceptual task. These tasks alternated every two trials. An ERP index of the retrieval of study information was evident in the memory task. It was also present on the first trial of the perceptual task but was markedly attenuated on the second. Moreover, this task-irrelevant ERP activity was positively correlated with a behavioral cost associated with switching between tasks. This real-time measure of neural activity thus provides direct evidence of task-set inertia, its duration, and the functional role it plays in switch costs. SAGE Publications 2015-03 /pmc/articles/PMC4361352/ /pubmed/25626443 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797614561799 Text en © The Author(s) 2015 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License (http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) which permits any use, reproduction and distribution of the work without further permission provided the original work is attributed as specified on the SAGE and Open Access page (http://www.uk.sagepub.com/aboutus/openaccess.htm). |
spellingShingle | Research Articles Evans, Lisa H. Herron, Jane E. Wilding, Edward L. Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title | Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title_full | Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title_fullStr | Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title_full_unstemmed | Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title_short | Direct Real-Time Neural Evidence for Task-Set Inertia |
title_sort | direct real-time neural evidence for task-set inertia |
topic | Research Articles |
url | https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4361352/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25626443 http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0956797614561799 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT evanslisah directrealtimeneuralevidencefortasksetinertia AT herronjanee directrealtimeneuralevidencefortasksetinertia AT wildingedwardl directrealtimeneuralevidencefortasksetinertia |