Sequence Knowledge on <i>When</i> and <i>What</i> Supports Dual-Tasking

Abstract

The constraints in overlapping response selection have been established in dual-tasking studies with random sequence of stimuli and responses as well as random stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA). While this approach makes it possible to control for advance activation of upcoming stimuli or responses, it leaves open whether such preparatory processing can indeed influence dual-task performance. We investigated whether and how the sequence of stimuli and responses and the sequence of SOAs can be learned and used under dual-tasking. In each trial, participants ( N = 28 in Experiment 1 and N = 30 in Experiment 2) were first presented with a random two-choice task followed by a four-choice Serial Reaction Time Task (SRTT), presented in a sequence of length four (position sequence). The SOA (timing) sequence also had length four. In test phases, one or both of the sequences were randomized. Results showed that both position and timing sequences were learned and supported dual-task performance, suggesting that predictive processing with respect to timing and identity of stimuli and responses can help to circumvent the response selection bottleneck constraints. Furthermore, in contrast to previous work on acquisition of interval sequences in single tasking, we found that the sequence of what (i.e. stimulus) and the sequence of when (i.e. interval between two tasks) contributed independently to performance.

Comparison of whole-body sensorimotor skill learning between strength athletes, endurance athletes and healthy sedentary adults

“…Among those are the acquisition of the sequence of stimuli ( Haider et al., 2014 ), knowledge concerning response locations ( Willingham et al., 2000 ), as well as knowledge concerning sequence latency between response and subsequent stimuli ( Shin, 2008 ). One such adaptation or a combination of multiple adaptations may result in the observed sequence-specific improvement ( Zhao et al., 2019 ). The lack of difference between sequence-specific improvements may be related to the sport- and exercise-independent nature of the CWB-SRTT.…”

Whole-body sensorimotor skill learning in football players: No evidence for motor transfer effects

“…Sequence-specific learning is closely associated with the amount of accurately recalled items within the motor sequence [ 23 ]. Knowledge of the sequence of items improves response times, as the associated increases in declarative knowledge lead to better anticipation of subsequent stimuli [ 25 ]. In our study, both groups did not differ in the amount of correctly recalled items.…”

Origami folding: Taxing resources necessary for the acquisition of sequential skills

“…This involved motor imagery to off-line simulate the action and execute the action. The illustration suggests that Origami folding is thus much more challenging compared to other lab tasks on sequence learning [ 30 , 31 , 78 , 79 ]. Second, although many people have basic experience in folding cranes or planes, we still observed substantial improvements of Origami folding between Trial 1 and 4 (see Fig 4 ).…”