On the Limits of Advance Preparation for a Task Switch: Do People Prepare All the Task Some of the Time or Some of the Task All the Time?
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| Title: | On the Limits of Advance Preparation for a Task Switch: Do People Prepare All the Task Some of the Time or Some of the Task All the Time? |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Lien, Mei-Ching, Ruthruff, Eric, Remington, Roger W. |
| Source: | Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. Apr 2005 31(2):299-315. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association, 750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721 (Toll Free); Tel: 202-336-5510; TDD/TTY: 202-336-6123; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: journals@apa.org. |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 16 |
| Publication Date: | 2005 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | Task Analysis, Cognitive Processes, Reaction Time, Attention Control |
| ISSN: | 0096-1523 |
| Abstract: | This study investigated the nature of advance preparation for a task switch, testing 2 key assumptions of R. De Jong's (2000) failure-to-engage theory: (a) Task-switch preparation is all-or-none, and (b) preparation failures stem from nonutilization of available control capabilities. In 3 experiments, switch costs varied dramatically across individual stimulus-response (S-R) pairs of the tasks-virtually absent for 1 pair but large for others. These findings indicate that, across trials, task preparation was not all-or-none but, rather, consistently partial (full preparation for some S-R pairs but not others). In other words, people do not prepare all of the task some of the time, they prepare some of the task all of the time. Experiments 2 and 3 produced substantial switch costs even though time deadlines provided strong incentives for optimal advance preparation. Thus, there was no evidence that people have a latent capability to fully prepare for a task switch. |
| Abstractor: | Author |
| Entry Date: | 2005 |
| Access URL: | https://www.apa.org/journals |
| Accession Number: | EJ689170 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | This study investigated the nature of advance preparation for a task switch, testing 2 key assumptions of R. De Jong's (2000) failure-to-engage theory: (a) Task-switch preparation is all-or-none, and (b) preparation failures stem from nonutilization of available control capabilities. In 3 experiments, switch costs varied dramatically across individual stimulus-response (S-R) pairs of the tasks-virtually absent for 1 pair but large for others. These findings indicate that, across trials, task preparation was not all-or-none but, rather, consistently partial (full preparation for some S-R pairs but not others). In other words, people do not prepare all of the task some of the time, they prepare some of the task all of the time. Experiments 2 and 3 produced substantial switch costs even though time deadlines provided strong incentives for optimal advance preparation. Thus, there was no evidence that people have a latent capability to fully prepare for a task switch. |
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| ISSN: | 0096-1523 |
