Abstract
Poorer performance in conditions involving task repetition within blocks of mixed tasks relative to task repetition within blocks of single task is called mixing cost (MC). In 2 experiments exploring 2 hypotheses regarding the origins of MC, participants either switched between cued shape and color tasks, or they performed them as single tasks. Experiment 1 supported the hypothesis that mixed-tasks trials require the resolution of task ambiguity by showing that MC existed only with ambiguous stimuli that afforded both tasks and not with unambiguous stimuli affording only 1 task. Experiment 2 failed to support the hypothesis that holding multiple task sets in working memory (WM) generates MC by showing that systematic manipulation of the number of stimulus-response rules in WM did not affect MC. The results emphasize the role of competition management between task sets during task control.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1477-1491 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning Memory and Cognition |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Nov 2005 |
Keywords
- Mixing cost
- Switching cost
- Task ambiguity
- Task switching
- Working memory
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Language and Linguistics
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Linguistics and Language