Zhou Fangyuan, Tian Zhongjin, Li Xiangqian
School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.
Front Hum Neurosci. 2025 May 8;19:1536926. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2025.1536926. eCollection 2025.
In task-switching paradigms, Switch Positivity, the N2 difference wave, and the P3 difference wave are typically observed in the cue-target interval (CTI) design, where the cue precedes the target. The ERP components are indicative of task-set control processes (i.e., task-set reconfiguration and task-set inertia). However, in the composite design, where the cue and target appear simultaneously, these components are absent. Previous research has hypothesized that in the composite design task-switching experiments, participants may employ compound retrieval strategies based on associative learning to complete the tasks. This strategy circumvents task rules, thereby eliminating ERP components related to task-set control.
This study aims to examine whether the use of compound retrieval strategies affects the task-set related ERP components. In Experiment 1, we manipulated participants' semantic understanding of the target stimuli to control their strategies. Participants in the compound retrieval group exclusively used the compound retrieval strategy, while those in the control group could employ both the compound retrieval strategy and task rules. In Experiment 2, we varied the number of target stimuli to influence participants' strategies, with participants in the task rule group utilizing task rules, and those in the control group permitted to use both task rules and the compound retrieval strategy.
The results revealed that Switch Positivity, the N2 difference wave, and the P3 difference wave were absent across all group conditions, regardless of the strategies employed.
These findings suggest that the disappearance of these ERP components in the composite design is not attributable to the use of compound retrieval strategies.
在任务切换范式中，切换正波、N2差异波和P3差异波通常在提示-目标间隔（CTI）设计中观察到，其中提示先于目标出现。这些事件相关电位（ERP）成分指示任务集控制过程（即任务集重新配置和任务集惯性）。然而，在提示和目标同时出现的复合设计中，这些成分并不存在。先前的研究假设，在复合设计任务切换实验中，参与者可能会采用基于联想学习的复合检索策略来完成任务。这种策略规避了任务规则，从而消除了与任务集控制相关的ERP成分。
本研究旨在考察复合检索策略的使用是否会影响与任务集相关的ERP成分。在实验1中，我们操纵参与者对目标刺激的语义理解以控制他们的策略。复合检索组的参与者仅使用复合检索策略，而对照组的参与者可以同时使用复合检索策略和任务规则。在实验2中，我们改变目标刺激的数量以影响参与者的策略，任务规则组的参与者使用任务规则，而对照组的参与者可以同时使用任务规则和复合检索策略。
结果显示，无论采用何种策略，在所有组条件下均未出现切换正波、N2差异波和P3差异波。
这些发现表明，在复合设计中这些ERP成分的消失并非归因于复合检索策略的使用。
