Inhibition of cued but not executed task sets depends on cue-task compatibility and practice

Berger, Alexander; Kiefer, Markus · 2024 · OpenAlex

DOI: 10.1007/s00426-024-02013-z

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Summary

This study investigates whether merely preparing for a task, without executing it, activates a task set that subsequently requires inhibition during task switching. The research addresses a debate regarding the contribution of preparatory processes to n−2 repetition costs, which serve as an index of task set inhibition. Specifically, the authors examined if task sets activated solely by a cue (task cue-only trials) are inhibited similarly to those activated by task execution, and how this process is modulated by cue-task compatibility and practice. The researchers conducted two experiments using a cued task-switching paradigm involving three tasks: semantic classification, perceptual classification, and lexical decision. In trial n−2, participants either performed a semantic or perceptual task or viewed a task cue without a subsequent stimulus (task cue-only). Trial n−1 involved an uncued lexical decision task, and trial n involved a semantic or perceptual task. This design allowed for the assessment of n−2 repetition costs by comparing performance in ABA sequences (where the task set from n−2 repeats in n) versus CBA sequences (where it switches). Experiment 1 utilized a mixed design with cue-task compatibility (compatible vs. incompatible cues) as a between-subjects factor and analyzed the development of effects over the course of the experiment. Experiment 2 replicated the design to rule out alternative explanations related to the decay of task sets. The results demonstrated that n−2 repetition costs occurred following task cue-only trials, but only under specific conditions. These costs were present exclusively for compatible cues (where the cue letter matched the first letter of the decision category) and only at the beginning of the experiment. In contrast, n−2 repetition costs following task execution in trial n−2 were absent. Experiment 2 replicated this pattern, confirming that cue-induced task set inhibition depends on cue-task compatibility and practice. The findings indicate that merely prepared task sets are more likely to be inhibited than executed task sets, particularly when the cue-task relation is transparent and before practice reduces the need for advance preparation. These findings clarify the role of preparatory processes in task switching, showing that task set activation via cueing alone is sufficient to trigger inhibition mechanisms, but this effect is transient and dependent on cue properties. The study suggests that with practice, the reliance on advance task preparation diminishes, reducing the need to inhibit cued but unexecuted task sets. This contributes to the understanding of cognitive flexibility by distinguishing between the inhibitory demands of prepared versus executed task sets and highlighting the impact of cue transparency on these processes.

Key finding

n−2 repetition costs indicating task-set inhibition occurred after cue-only preparation (not task execution), only with compatible transparent cues and mainly early in the session; Experiment 2 ruled out unequal trial-duration decay.

Methodology

lab_experiment

Sample size: Two preregistered experiments, N=53 each (Exp1: 55 recruited, 2 excluded; Exp2: 57 recruited, 4 excluded).

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• task switching