Academic Journal
Task-control adaptation in task switching: Uncovering the mechanisms behind the list-wide proportion valency effect.
| Title: | Task-control adaptation in task switching: Uncovering the mechanisms behind the list-wide proportion valency effect. |
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| Authors: | Moretti, Luca, Koch, Iring |
| Source: | Memory & Cognition; Apr2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p813-834, 22p |
| Subject Terms: | Task performance, Executive function, Psychological adaptation, Descriptive statistics, Experimental design, Attention, Analysis of variance, Data analysis software, Cognition, Thought & thinking |
| Abstract: | The term conflict adaptation refers to the up- or down-regulation of control processes depending on the likelihood and recency of conflict occurrence. While most research on conflict adaptation has examined single-task settings (e.g., the Stroop paradigm), in a recent study we investigated whether similar phenomena are also present in task switching. In that study, we asked whether control over stimulus-induced task conflict is modulated depending on its frequency. We operationalized stimulus-induced task conflict with the valency effect, namely the performance difference between bivalent-congruent trials (i.e., stimuli affording two tasks but only one correct response) and univalent trials (i.e., stimuli affording one task). Manipulating the proportion of bivalent trials across blocks, we found that the valency effect was reduced in majority-bivalent blocks, suggesting that task-conflict control is upregulated under high-conflict conditions. Building on these findings, the present study presents three experiments designed to uncover the mechanisms behind task-conflict control adaptation in task switching. In particular, we aimed to assess whether task-conflict control is adapted in a transient or in a sustained fashion. In Experiment 1, we ruled out the possibility that control adaptation arises from transient increases in attentional biasing following cue onset. In Experiments 2a and 2b we found evidence that the mechanisms responsible for upregulating task-conflict control act in a task-specific fashion, suggesting that, contrary to single-task paradigms, control adaptation occurs transiently rather than sustainedly. We conclude that in task-switching contexts, conflict adaptation is achieved by modulating reactive control mechanisms triggered after stimulus onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Memory & Cognition is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Complementary Index |
| FullText | Links: – Type: other Text: Availability: 0 CustomLinks: – Url: https://dx.doi.org/doi:10.3758/s13421-025-01782-1 Name: EDS - Springer Nature Journals (s7799221) Category: fullText Text: View record at Springer |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Task-control adaptation in task switching: Uncovering the mechanisms behind the list-wide proportion valency effect. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moretti%2C+Luca%22">Moretti, Luca</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Koch%2C+Iring%22">Koch, Iring</searchLink> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: Memory & Cognition; Apr2026, Vol. 54 Issue 3, p813-834, 22p – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Task+performance%22">Task performance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Executive+function%22">Executive function</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychological+adaptation%22">Psychological adaptation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Experimental+design%22">Experimental design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attention%22">Attention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Analysis+of+variance%22">Analysis of variance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cognition%22">Cognition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Thought+%26+thinking%22">Thought & thinking</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The term conflict adaptation refers to the up- or down-regulation of control processes depending on the likelihood and recency of conflict occurrence. While most research on conflict adaptation has examined single-task settings (e.g., the Stroop paradigm), in a recent study we investigated whether similar phenomena are also present in task switching. In that study, we asked whether control over stimulus-induced task conflict is modulated depending on its frequency. We operationalized stimulus-induced task conflict with the valency effect, namely the performance difference between bivalent-congruent trials (i.e., stimuli affording two tasks but only one correct response) and univalent trials (i.e., stimuli affording one task). Manipulating the proportion of bivalent trials across blocks, we found that the valency effect was reduced in majority-bivalent blocks, suggesting that task-conflict control is upregulated under high-conflict conditions. Building on these findings, the present study presents three experiments designed to uncover the mechanisms behind task-conflict control adaptation in task switching. In particular, we aimed to assess whether task-conflict control is adapted in a transient or in a sustained fashion. In Experiment 1, we ruled out the possibility that control adaptation arises from transient increases in attentional biasing following cue onset. In Experiments 2a and 2b we found evidence that the mechanisms responsible for upregulating task-conflict control act in a task-specific fashion, suggesting that, contrary to single-task paradigms, control adaptation occurs transiently rather than sustainedly. We conclude that in task-switching contexts, conflict adaptation is achieved by modulating reactive control mechanisms triggered after stimulus onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: Abstract Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Memory & Cognition is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.3758/s13421-025-01782-1 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 22 StartPage: 813 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Task performance Type: general – SubjectFull: Executive function Type: general – SubjectFull: Psychological adaptation Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Experimental design Type: general – SubjectFull: Attention Type: general – SubjectFull: Analysis of variance Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: Cognition Type: general – SubjectFull: Thought & thinking Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Task-control adaptation in task switching: Uncovering the mechanisms behind the list-wide proportion valency effect. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Moretti, Luca – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Koch, Iring IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 0090502X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 54 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: Memory & Cognition Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |