Weaver Starla M, Foxe John J, Shpaner Marina, Wylie Glenn R
a Kessler Foundation Research Center , West Orange , NJ , USA.
Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2014;67(11):2247-59. doi: 10.1080/17470218.2014.917115. Epub 2014 Jun 11.
The current study assessed the effect that unexpected task constraint, following self-generated task choice, has on task switching performance. Participants performed a modified double-registration voluntary task switching procedure in which participants specified the task they wanted to perform, were presented with a cue that, on the majority of trials, confirmed the choice, and then performed the cued task. On a small portion of trials, participants were cued to perform a task that did not match their choice. Trials on which cues unexpectedly failed to match the chosen task were associated with costs. These costs were particularly large when participants chose to switch tasks but had to unexpectedly repeat the previous task. The results suggest that when participants choose to switch tasks, they prepare for that switch in anticipation of the stimulus, and the preparation is durable such that it cannot be readily undone.
当前的研究评估了在自我生成任务选择之后，意外的任务限制对任务切换表现的影响。参与者执行了一个修改后的双重登记自愿任务切换程序，在该程序中，参与者指定他们想要执行的任务，会收到一个提示，在大多数试验中，该提示会确认选择，然后执行提示的任务。在一小部分试验中，参与者会收到提示去执行与他们的选择不匹配的任务。提示意外地与所选任务不匹配的试验会产生成本。当参与者选择切换任务但不得不意外地重复上一个任务时，这些成本尤其大。结果表明，当参与者选择切换任务时，他们会在预期刺激的情况下为该切换做准备，并且这种准备是持久的，以至于不容易被撤销。
