More Than Hitting the Correct Key Quickly

Abstract

Abstract. Many studies have documented that multitasking reduces Response Time (RT) indicators of implicit sequence learning as well as the expression of acquired sequence knowledge in RT benefits. In these tasks it is only relevant that the correct key is hit quickly, not where it is hit. We explored how variability in response location is influenced by (a) breaking a repeating sequence of target locations, (b) multitasking demands in the current trial, and (c) presence of multitasking in the block. Participants performed a Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT) on a touchscreen while shutting down a beep tone by pressing the space bar with their non-dominant hand (throughout Experiment 1 and in the second half of Experiment 2). The first-order sequence of four response locations on the screen was broken by off-sequence deviants in 1/6th of the trials. Our results show a dissociation between RT and response location variability. While the effect of breaking the sequence on RT was larger under single- than under multitasking, breaking the sequence only led to an increase in response location variability under multitasking. Experiment 3 suggested that the impact of sequence knowledge on either aspect of performance in the SRTT is limited by interference from an additional task.

Why Does Dual-Tasking Hamper Implicit Sequence Learning?

“…Some researchers have started to use implicit learning paradigms also in the field of dualtasking (Ewolds, Broeker, de Oliveira, Raab, & Künzell, 2017;Gaschler et al, 2018;Gaschler, Zhao, Röttger, Panzer, & Haider, 2019;Halvorson, Wagschal, & Hazeltine, 2013;Röttger et al, 2019;Schumacher & Schwarb, 2009;Zhao, Gaschler, Nöhring, Röttger, & Haider, 2020;. The focus within this research field is slightly different from that in the field of implicit learning.…”

Regulating distance to the screen while engaging in difficult tasks

“…Some researchers claimed a significant increased distance deviation of sway from front to back with a concurrent difficult cognitive task (Kerr et al, 1985; see a review, Woollacott & Shumway-Cook, 2002). This statement has been supported by a recent study (Gaschler et al, 2019), suggesting that increased variability of responses (i.e., where exactly the correct response panel is hit on a touch screen) can be influenced by the high cognitive load in a dual-task paradigm. Yet, other researchers reported decreased fluctuation of head-to-screen distance when people conducted a visual search task demanding precision compared to a control visual task (Balaban et al, 2004;Bonnet et al, 2017;Kaakinen et al, 2018).…”