Simultaneous cognitive operations in working memory after dual-task practice
- The authors tested the hypothesis that with adequate practice, people can execute 2 cognitive operations in working memory simultaneously. In Experiment 1, 6 students practiced updating 2 items in working memory through 2 sequences of operations (1 numerical, 1 spatial). In different blocks, imperative stimuli for the 2 sequences of operations were presented either simultaneously or sequentially. Initially, most participants experienced substantial dual-task costs. After 24 sessions of practice, operation latencies for simultaneous presentation were equal to the maximum of times for the 2 operations in the sequential condition, suggesting perfect timesharing. Experiment 2 showed that a reduction of dual-task costs requires practice on the combination of the 2 updating tasks, not just practice on each individual task. Hence, the reduction of dual-task costs cannot be explained by shortening or automatization of individual operations
Author details: | Klaus OberauerORCiDGND, Reinhold KlieglORCiDGND |
---|---|
ISSN: | 0096-1523 |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2004 |
Publication year: | 2004 |
Release date: | 2017/03/24 |
Source: | Journal of Experimental Psychology-Human Perception and Performance. - ISSN 0096-1523. - 30 (2004), 4, S. 689 - 707 |
Organizational units: | Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften / Department Psychologie |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Publishing method: | Open Access |
Institution name at the time of the publication: | Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Psychologie |