The role of compound retrieval in modulating task-switching performance and training effects
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 9405737 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Fangyuan Zhou (0000-0003-0601-4553, Chongqing University of Arts and Sciences), Ziang Tian (0009-0001-3677-1662, Shanghai University of Sport), Zhongjin Tian, Xiangqian Li (0000-0001-7281-9371, Shanghai University of Sport, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 259 |
| Pages | 105299-105299 |
| Publication date | 2025-07-17 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Acta Psychologica (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0001-6918 • E-ISSN: 1873-6297 |
| Publisher | Elsevier BV (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.actpsy.2025.105299 |
| PMID | 40680643 |
| OpenAlex | W4412523267 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 38 |
When participants use stipulated task rules in task-switching paradigms, task-switching costs reflect task-set control processes. However, when the number of target stimuli is limited, participants could be induced to adopt a compound retrieval approach-directly retrieving stimulus-response associations from memory. This approach significantly reduces task-switching costs, and making switching costs no longer reflect task-set control. Nevertheless, it remains unclear how the compound retrieval approach influences task-switching costs when participants are explicitly instructed to use task rules. To address this gap, we conducted three experiments examining the impact of the compound retrieval approach on task-switching training effects within both composite design paradigms (where tasks and targets are presented simultaneously) and cue-target interval designs (where the task cue precedes the target stimulus by a 500 ms delay). We manipulated the use of the compound retrieval approach by varying the number of target stimuli, randomly assigning participants to one of three groups: four-target, eight-target, or infinite-target (with sufficient stimuli to prevent repetition throughout the experiment, thereby making compound retrieval less feasible). Across all three experiments, participants in the four-target and eight-target groups exhibited greater reductions in task-switching costs and larger response-congruency effects compared to those in the infinite-target group. These findings suggest that in task-switching paradigms with a limited set of target stimuli, reductions in task-switching costs may result from the application of stimulus-response associations rather than enhancements in task-set control abilities. Furthermore, the task-switching costs observed under these conditions may not accurately reflect participants' underlying cognitive control capabilities
Cognitive psychology · Physics · Task (project management · Task switching · Training (meteorology · Computer Science · Engineering · Human Resource Development and Performance Evaluation · Psychology
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| Highly cited | No |
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