On the importance of Task 1 and error performance measures in PRP dual-task studies

eStrobach, Tilo; eStrobach, Tilo; eSchuetz, Anja; eSchubert, Torsten · 2015 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00403

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Summary

This review paper addresses a critical gap in the literature on the psychological refractory period (PRP) paradigm, a dominant method for studying dual-task performance. The PRP paradigm typically involves presenting two tasks in close succession with variable stimulus onset asynchronies (SOAs), instructing participants to prioritize Task 1. The prevailing central bottleneck theory posits that response selection is strictly sequential, implying that Task 1 performance should remain unaffected by Task 2, while Task 2 reaction times (RTs) increase as SOAs decrease. However, this assumption implicitly suggests that Task 1 RTs and error rates should remain constant across SOAs. The authors aim to assess whether existing PRP studies adequately report and analyze Task 1 performance data, specifically error rates, and whether the data supports the assumption of unaffected Task 1 processing. The authors conducted a systematic review of PRP literature by searching the PsycINFO database for the term “PRP.” After excluding reviews, clinical papers, dissertations, and non-English entries, they analyzed 133 studies comprising 306 experiments. The analysis focused on three aspects: (1) the frequency of presenting Task 1 RT and error data in figures or tables; (2) the frequency of performing statistical analyses (e.g., ANOVAs) on these data types; and (3) the presence of statistically significant main effects of SOA on Task 1 performance, defined as increased RTs or error rates with decreasing SOAs. The results revealed a significant underrepresentation of error data. While 69.9% of experiments presented Task 1 RT data, only 40.8% presented error data. Furthermore, only 48.7% of experiments provided statistical analyses for both RTs and error rates, leaving over half of the studies unable to conclusively test the assumption of Task 1 independence. Among the 149 experiments that did provide statistical analyses for both measures, 67.1% demonstrated impaired Task 1 performance (increased RTs, error rates, or both) with decreasing SOAs. This finding contradicts the strict interpretation of the central bottleneck theory, which predicts no such impairment in the prioritized task. The authors conclude that the widespread neglect of Task 1 error data and the frequent observation of Task 1 impairment challenge the strict sequential processing assumption of the central bottleneck theory. They argue that these findings support alternative theoretical frameworks, such as capacity-sharing theories, which propose that limited resources are shared between tasks, or models involving between-task crosstalk and flexible scheduling. The paper calls for more rigorous reporting and analysis of Task 1 performance in future PRP studies to better understand dual-task processing architectures and to develop theories that can comprehensively explain effects in both tasks.

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Topics

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• dual task multitasking
• dual task performance

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data