The complexity of measuring reliability in learning tasks: An illustration using the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task

Farkas, Bence; Krajcsi, Attila; Janacsek, Karolina; Németh, Dezső

doi:10.31234/osf.io/5nw4y

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…To measure statistical learning, we applied the ASRT task 18 , a commonly used and highly reliable task (e.g. 52 ). In this task, participants saw four empty circles on a white background, horizontally arranged on the screen.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intact predictive processing in autistic adults: evidence from statistical learning

Pesthy¹,

Farkas²,

Sapey-Triomphe³

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Impairment in predictive processes gained a lot of attention in recent years as an explanation for autistic symptoms. However, empirical evidence does not always underpin this framework. Thus, it is unclear what aspects of predictive processing are affected in autism spectrum disorder. In this study, we tested autistic adults on a task in which participants acquire probability-based regularities (that is, a statistical learning task). Twenty neurotypical and 22 autistic adults learned a probabilistic, temporally distributed regularity for about 40 min. Using frequentist and Bayesian methods, we found that autistic adults performed comparably to neurotypical adults, and the dynamics of learning did not differ between groups either. Thus, our study provides evidence for intact statistical learning in autistic adults. Furthermore, we discuss potential ways this result can extend the scope of the predictive processing framework, noting that atypical processing might not always mean a deficit in performance.

show abstract

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intact predictive processing in autistic adults: evidence from statistical learning

Pesthy¹,

Farkas²,

Sapey-Triomphe³

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These are exactly the tasks that were shared between studies. Regarding the second study, we have previously shown that longer ASRT tasks lead to more reliable learning scores (Farkas et al, 2022), which are crucial for correlational research designs. Thus, if anything the longer task should increase the power of our replication attempt.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Thirdly, the task consisted of 45 blocks. We previously observed that although acceptable levels of reliability emerge even with 25 blocks, longer tasks lead to more reliable learning scores, which might be crucial for the correlational analyses we planned here (Farkas et al, 2022). Finally, the timing of the stimuli differed.…”

Section: Tasksmentioning

confidence: 90%

Evidence for a competitive relationship between executive functions and statistical learning

Pedraza

Farkas

Vékony

et al. 2023

Preprint

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The ability of the brain to extract patterns from the environment and predict future events, known as statistical learning, has been proposed to interact in a competitive manner with prefrontal lobe related networks and their characteristic cognitive or executive functions. However, it remains unclear whether these cognitive functions also show competitive relationship with implicit statistical learning across individuals and at the level of latent executive function components. In order to address this currently unknown aspect, we investigated, in two independent experiments (NStudy1 = 186, NStudy2 = 180), the relationship between implicit statistical learning, measured by the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task, and executive functions, measured by multiple neuropsychological tests. In both studies, a modest, but consistent negative correlation between implicit statistical learning and most executive function measures was observed. Factor analysis further revealed that a factor representing the latent updating component of executive functions seemed to drive these negative correlations. Thus, an antagonism between implicit statistical learning and executive functions might specifically be mediated by updating.

show abstract

“…1 ). During the Learning phase (Day 1), participants performed a widely used and reliable 55 four-choice visuomotor reaction time task called Alternating Serial Reaction Time (ASRT) task 29 , 56 , in which they acquired the associations of Sequence A. This is referred to as old knowledge throughout the paper.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inhibitory control hinders habit change

Horváth

Németh

Janacsek

2022

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Our habits constantly influence the environment, often in negative ways that amplify global environmental and health risks. Hence, change is urgent. To facilitate habit change, inhibiting unwanted behaviors appears to be a natural human reaction. Here, we use a novel experimental design to test how inhibitory control affects two key components of changing (rewiring) habit-like behaviors in healthy humans: the acquisition of new habit-like behavior and the simultaneous unlearning of an old one. We found that, while the new behavior was acquired, the old behavior persisted and coexisted with the new. Critically, inhibition hindered both overcoming the old behavior and establishing the new one. Our findings highlight that suppressing unwanted behaviors is not only ineffective but may even further strengthen them. Meanwhile, actively engaging in a preferred behavior appears indispensable for its successful acquisition. Our design could be used to uncover how new approaches affect the cognitive basis of changing habit-like behaviors.

show abstract

The complexity of measuring reliability in learning tasks: An illustration using the Alternating Serial Reaction Time task

Cited by 4 publications

References 43 publications

Intact predictive processing in autistic adults: evidence from statistical learning

Intact predictive processing in autistic adults: evidence from statistical learning

Evidence for a competitive relationship between executive functions and statistical learning

Inhibitory control hinders habit change

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About