A chain-retrieval model for voluntary task switching

Vandierendonck, André; Demanet, Jelle; Liefooghe, Baptist; Verbruggen, Frederick · 2012 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.cogpsych.2012.04.003

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Summary

This paper introduces and tests the "chain-retrieval model" to explain the cognitive processes underlying voluntary task switching (VTS). The research addresses the problem of how individuals select tasks when given the freedom to choose between goals, a process that involves balancing goal persistence with flexibility. Previous research established that people exhibit a "task-repetition bias," preferring to repeat tasks rather than switch, even when instructed to select tasks randomly. The authors aim to develop a model that accounts for this bias by integrating top-down retrieval of task sequences from long-term memory with bottom-up influences, such as stimulus priming, which can override intended choices. The chain-retrieval model posits that voluntary task selection involves retrieving short, balanced sequences (chains) of tasks from long-term memory. These chains are constrained by working memory capacity, typically ranging from three to six elements. The model is defined by three parameters: $m$ (chain length), $b$ (bias toward chains with more repetitions, reflecting a preference for easier, less effortful sequences), and $r$ (probability that bottom-up priming overrides the intended task selection). The authors tested this framework through four studies. Studies 1 and 2 analyzed task-choice sequences from VTS experiments using dependency statistics to estimate model parameters and predict autocorrelations. Studies 3 and 4 applied the same analytical approach to sequences of hand choices and independent event generation, where no task switching was required. The results demonstrated that the chain-retrieval model provided superior fits and predictions compared to existing statistical models of event choice. In the VTS contexts (Studies 1 and 2), all three parameters ($m$, $b$, and $r$) were necessary to accurately account for the observed data, confirming that task selection is driven by a combination of retrieved chains, a bias toward repetition, and bottom-up intrusions. Conversely, in the non-switching contexts (Studies 3 and 4), the model could account for the data with one or two parameters clamped to neutral values, indicating that the complexity of the VTS process stems specifically from the interaction of these factors during task switching. The significance of these findings lies in providing a unified theoretical account of voluntary task selection and independent event generation. The model clarifies that the task-repetition bias is not merely a failure of random generation but a result of retrieving efficient, repetition-heavy chains from memory, which are then susceptible to bottom-up interference. This challenges previous models that relied on retrospective monitoring mechanisms, suggesting instead that task selection is guided by prospectively retrieved sequences. The work highlights the interplay between cognitive control, working memory constraints, and automatic priming in goal-directed behavior.

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• task switching