Künstler E C S, Finke K, Günther A, Klingner C, Witte O, Bublak P
Hans Berger Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747, Jena, Germany.
Psychol Res. 2018 Jan;82(1):177-185. doi: 10.1007/s00426-017-0951-x. Epub 2017 Dec 1.
Dual tasking, or the simultaneous execution of two continuous tasks, is frequently associated with a performance decline that can be explained within a capacity sharing framework. In this study, we assessed the effects of a concurrent motor task on the efficiency of visual information uptake based on the 'theory of visual attention' (TVA). TVA provides parameter estimates reflecting distinct components of visual processing capacity: perceptual threshold, visual processing speed, and visual short-term memory (VSTM) storage capacity. Moreover, goodness-of-fit values and bootstrapping estimates were derived to test whether the TVA-model is validly applicable also under dual task conditions, and whether the robustness of parameter estimates is comparable in single- and dual-task conditions. 24 subjects of middle to higher age performed a continuous tapping task, and a visual processing task (whole report of briefly presented letter arrays) under both single- and dual-task conditions. Results suggest a decline of both visual processing capacity and VSTM storage capacity under dual-task conditions, while the perceptual threshold remained unaffected by a concurrent motor task. In addition, goodness-of-fit values and bootstrapping estimates support the notion that participants processed the visual task in a qualitatively comparable, although quantitatively less efficient way under dual-task conditions. The results support a capacity sharing account of motor-cognitive dual tasking and suggest that even performing a relatively simple motor task relies on central attentional capacity that is necessary for efficient visual information uptake.
双重任务，即同时执行两项连续任务，常常与表现下降相关，这种下降可以在能力共享框架内得到解释。在本研究中，我们基于“视觉注意理论”（TVA）评估了一项并发运动任务对视觉信息摄取效率的影响。TVA提供反映视觉处理能力不同组成部分的参数估计：感知阈值、视觉处理速度和视觉短时记忆（VSTM）存储容量。此外，还得出了拟合优度值和自抽样估计值，以检验TVA模型在双重任务条件下是否也能有效应用，以及参数估计在单任务和双重任务条件下的稳健性是否可比。24名中老年人在单任务和双重任务条件下分别执行一项连续敲击任务和一项视觉处理任务（对短暂呈现的字母阵列进行整体报告）。结果表明，在双重任务条件下，视觉处理能力和VSTM存储容量均下降，而感知阈值不受并发运动任务的影响。此外，拟合优度值和自抽样估计值支持这样一种观点，即参与者在双重任务条件下以质量上可比但数量上效率较低的方式处理视觉任务。这些结果支持了运动 - 认知双重任务的能力共享观点，并表明即使执行一项相对简单的运动任务也依赖于有效视觉信息摄取所需的中央注意力能力。
