1. task switching
R e v i e w

2. abstract
‘Switch cost’ is reduced by preparation
Carry-over
Reconfiguration

3. utilisation
behaviour
Grabbing objects in view and starting the
‘appropriate’ behaviour at an 'inappropriate' time.

4. early research
Prepared Reflex: automaticity and control in
S-R translation
Ach: Overlearnt responses competing with
the acquisition of novel S-R mapping.
Jersild - Task-switching: repeating/
alternating

5. task switching
paradigms
Jersild’s method
Alternating-runs paradigm - task alternates every N
trials, where N is constant and predictable
Prespecified task sequence (e.g. colour-shape -
colour )
Task-cueing paradigm, task is unpredictable, task
cue appears either with or before S
Intermittent-instruction paradigm, interrupted by an
instruction

6. basic phinomena
Switch cost(task-repetition benefit)
Preparation effect
Residual cost
Mixing cost

7. Predictable and unpredictable
task switching
odd/even, high/low
cued by colour/ by shape

8. preparation
effect
residual cost

9. To classify digit(odd/even) or letter(consonant/vowel)
preparation effect
residual cost

10. sources of the
switch cost
Time taken by control operations - TSR
Transient task-set inertia
Associative retrieval
All of the above?

11. brain correlates of
task switching
Medial and lateral regions of the prefrontal
cortex
Parietal lobes
Cerebellum
Subcortical regions

12. issues for further
research
Problems with preparation effect
The role of language
Puzzling observations