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Does switching between strategies within the same task involve a cost?
Author(s) -
Luwel Koen,
Schillemans Viki,
Onghena Patrick,
Verschaffel Lieven
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
british journal of psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.536
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8295
pISSN - 0007-1269
DOI - 10.1348/000712609x402801
Subject(s) - numerosity adaptation effect , task switching , psychology , cognition , task (project management) , judgement , cognitive psychology , function (biology) , neuroscience , management , evolutionary biology , political science , law , economics , biology
In two experiments, participants had to switch regularly between two cognitive strategies of a different complexity in the context of a numerosity judgement task. Expt 1 comprised bivalent stimuli (i.e. allowing the application of the two strategies), whereas Expt 2 involved univalent stimuli (i.e. allowing the application of only one strategy). Both experiments revealed that switching between strategies entailed a cognitive cost that was reflected in longer response times on switch compared to non‐switch trials but not in reduced accuracy. The size of this switch cost did not differ as a function of strategy complexity but tended to diminish as a strategy became more appropriate for solving a particular problem. We discuss the extent to which current theories of task switching can account for these findings.