Opportune moments for task interruptions: examining the cognitive mechanisms underlying interruption-timing effects

Hirsch, Patricia; Moretti, Luca; Leichtmann, Benedikt; Koch, Iring; Nitsch, Verena · 2025 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1465323

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Summary

This study investigates the cognitive mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of task interruptions, specifically focusing on how the timing of an interruption relative to mental workload impacts performance. While previous research suggests that interruptions during low-workload moments are less harmful, the precise definition of these moments has often been arbitrary. The authors aimed to address this by employing a theory-driven approach to define mental workload within a procedural primary task, examining whether interruptions at specific subtask boundaries yield different resumption costs based on cognitive load and sequence structure. The experimental design involved 48 participants performing a primary task consisting of a predefined sequence of six speeded two-choice categorization subtasks. These subtasks were organized into two triplets, structured either as lag-2 repetition sequences (e.g., ABA-CBC) or lag-2 switch sequences (e.g., CBA-CAB). This structure allowed the researchers to manipulate mental workload: lag-2 repetition triplets require overcoming inhibition when returning to a previously inhibited task, creating a high-workload moment, whereas lag-2 switch triplets do not. Interruptions occurred before the second, third, or fourth subtasks and lasted either 2 or 4 seconds. During interruptions, participants performed a secondary vowel-consonant categorization task. The study measured resumption costs, defined as the difference in reaction times and error rates between subtasks following an interruption and those in non-interrupted trials. The results confirmed an interruption-timing effect, with higher resumption costs observed for interruptions occurring before the third subtask compared to those before the second or fourth subtasks. This indicates that the moment preceding the third subtask was more disruptive. However, contrary to the hypothesis, this timing effect did not differ between lag-2 repetition and lag-2 switch sequences. The expected interaction, where lag-2 repetition sequences would show higher costs due to the need to overcome inhibition, was not supported. Additionally, the study explored the effects of interruption duration and timing on secondary task performance, though these analyses were exploratory. The findings are discussed from memory and context reconstruction perspectives, suggesting that while interruption timing significantly affects resumption costs, the specific cognitive mechanism of overcoming inhibition in lag-2 repetition sequences may not differentially impact interruption recovery as predicted. The study highlights the importance of using theory-driven task models to identify opportune moments for interruptions, demonstrating that certain subtask boundaries are indeed more vulnerable to disruption. These results contribute to the understanding of how hierarchical task structures and mental workload dynamics influence human performance in interrupted environments, offering insights for designing better interruption management strategies in complex work settings.

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Topics

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• prospective memory interruptions
• task switching