Using position rather than color at the traffic light – Covariation learning-based deviation from instructions in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Gaschler, Robert; Ditsche-Klein, Beate Elisabeth; Kriechbaumer, Michael; Blech, Christine; Wenke, Dorit · 2022 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967467

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Summary

This study investigates whether adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) differ from those without ADHD in their ability to deviate from instructed task strategies in favor of learned, more efficient alternatives. The research addresses the "stability-flexibility paradox," where instructions shield task processing from irrelevant information but may hinder the adoption of better strategies. Given that ADHD is associated with reduced task shielding and potentially greater cognitive flexibility, the authors hypothesized that individuals with ADHD might be quicker to abandon instruction-based processing and utilize non-instructed, covarying stimulus features. The researchers conducted an online experiment with 245 adult participants, including 43 diagnosed with ADHD. Participants performed a covariation learning task analogous to reading traffic lights. They were instructed to respond to the dominant color (magenta or cyan) of an array of squares. Unbeknownst to them, the position of the array (upper or lower) perfectly covaried with the dominant color throughout the training phase. The study measured reaction times (RTs) and error rates across standard trials, ambiguous trials (where color dominance was unclear), and a final test block containing "deviant" trials where the color-position covariation was broken. This design allowed the researchers to assess how much participants relied on the non-instructed position feature versus the instructed color feature. The results indicated that both groups successfully learned the color-position covariation, as evidenced by improved performance in ambiguous trials and slower reaction times in deviant trials due to response conflict. However, there were no significant differences between the ADHD and non-ADHD groups in the extent to which they used the non-instructed position feature. While ADHD participants showed a slightly different trajectory in how color difficulty affected their reaction times across practice blocks, they did not demonstrate a superior ability to escape instruction-based shielding or a higher reliance on the alternative strategy. Post-experiment self-reports also showed no significant group differences in awareness or usage of the covariation. The findings suggest that adults with ADHD do not lag behind, nor do they outperform, non-ADHD individuals in abandoning instructed task processing in favor of a learned alternative strategy. Contrary to the hypothesis that reduced task shielding in ADHD facilitates quicker strategy shifts, the study found that both groups utilized the efficient, non-instructed feature to a similar extent. This implies that the potential benefits of ADHD-related cognitive flexibility in this specific context do not translate into a measurable advantage in covariation-based strategy change, challenging assumptions about the role of task shielding in ADHD performance.

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• inattentional change blindness