Can frequent long stimulus onset ansynchronies (SOAs) foster the representation of two separated task-sets in dual-tasking?

TL;DR

This study investigates whether using long stimulus onset ansynchronies (SOAs) can help separate task representations in dual-tasking, potentially reducing conjoint memory episodes.

Contribution

The study introduces a novel approach to modulate task-set integration in dual-tasking using SOA frequency.

Findings

Conjoint memory episodes appear to be a default process in dual-tasking regardless of SOA frequency.

SOA frequency influences participants' strategies for grouping task processing.

Reactivated memory episodes modulate task performance based on SOA frequency.

Abstract

Recent findings suggest that in dual-tasking the elements of the two tasks are associated across tasks and are stored in a conjoint memory episode, meaning that the tasks are not represented as isolated task-sets. In the current study, we tested whether frequent long stimulus onset ansynchronies (SOAs) can foster the representation of two separated task-sets thereby reducing or even hindering participants to generate conjoint memory episodes—compared to an integrated task-set representation induced by frequent short SOAs. Alternatively, it is conceivable that conjoint memory episodes are an inevitable consequence of presenting two tasks within a single trial. In two dual-task experiments, we tested between consecutive trials whether repeating the stimulus–response bindings of both tasks would lead to faster responses than repeating only one of the two tasks’ stimulus–response bindings. The dual-task consisted of a visual-manual search task (VST) and an auditory-manual discrimination task (ADT). Overall, the results suggest that, after processing two tasks within a single trial, generating a conjoint memory episode seems to be a default process, regardless of SOA frequency. However, the respective SOA frequency affected the participants’ strategy to group the processing of the two tasks or not, thereby modulating the impact of the reactivated memory episode on task performance.

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