Differential preparation intervals modulate repetition processes in task switching: an ERP study

eWang, Min; eYang, Ping; eZhao, Qianjing; eWang, Meng; eJin, Zhenlan; eLi, Ling · 2016 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00057

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Summary

This study investigates how differential preparation intervals modulate repetition processes in task-switching, specifically examining the neural and behavioral mechanisms underlying repetition priming and suppression. While previous research has established that preparation intervals affect switch costs, their impact on the processing of repeated trials remains unclear. The authors hypothesized that the duration of the cue-stimulus interval (CSI) and response-stimulus interval (RSI) would influence how participants adapt to abstract rule representations during sequences of repeated tasks. The researchers employed a cued task-switching paradigm with 14 participants, utilizing electroencephalography (EEG) to record neural activity alongside behavioral data. Participants performed color and direction discrimination tasks on triangular stimuli, with trial sequences consisting of 5 to 11 repetitions before a task switch. The experimental design manipulated two variables: RSI (short: 750 ms; long: 1200 ms) and CSI (short: 150 ms; long: 600 ms), creating four conditions (SS, SL, LS, LL). This design allowed the authors to disentangle proactive interference from stimulus preparation. Behavioral analysis focused on reaction times (RTs) and accuracy, while ERP analysis focused on the P3 component (300–450 ms post-cue), which is associated with task-set reconfiguration and abstract rule representation. The results indicated that preparation intervals significantly modulated repetition effects. Behaviorally, RTs decreased linearly with increasing repetitions only in the short CSI conditions (SS and LS), suggesting that insufficient preparation time necessitates ongoing adaptation. In contrast, long CSI conditions showed no significant RT changes across repetitions, implying that adequate preparation time allows for immediate stabilization of performance. Neurologically, P3 amplitudes decreased significantly with increasing repetitions only in the LS condition (long RSI, short CSI). This decrease was not observed in the SS condition, likely due to proactive interference from the previous trial in short RSI settings masking the adaptation effect. Crucially, a positive correlation was found between the magnitude of RT benefit and the decrease in P3 activation in the LS condition, linking neural adaptation to behavioral facilitation. These findings demonstrate that differential preparation intervals modulate repetition processes in task-switching by influencing the efficiency of rule representation adaptation. The study suggests that repetition suppression, reflected by decreasing P3 amplitudes, is not merely an automatic neuronal adaptation but is contingent on cognitive factors such as preparation time and interference management. Specifically, when proactive interference is minimized (long RSI) but preparation time is limited (short CSI), the brain exhibits clear neural adaptation (P3 decrease) that correlates with improved behavioral performance. This challenges the view of repetition suppression as purely bottom-up processing, highlighting the role of top-down cognitive control in maintaining and adapting task sets.

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• task switching