Task Switching Task¶
HED Task ID: hedtsk_task_switching
Also known as: Set Shifting, Alternating Runs
Alternation between two or more simple tasks on cue; switch-cost RT and errors index task-set reconfiguration.
Description¶
Task Switching paradigms measure cognitive flexibility by requiring participants to alternate between two or more classification tasks. Participants view stimuli (e.g., bivalent alphanumeric characters like “G3”) and perform different classifications depending on a task cue (letter: vowel/consonant; digit: odd/even). Tasks alternate in predictable sequences (e.g., AABB) or are cued on each trial. The primary measures are switch costs (increased RT and errors when switching tasks vs. repeating the same task) and mixing costs (increased RT in mixed-task blocks vs. single-task blocks). Switch costs reflect the time for task-set reconfiguration.
Inclusion test¶
Procedure |
Participants alternate between two (or more) simple tasks on the same stimuli, cued by an explicit cue or a predictable alternation schedule. |
Manipulation |
Switch vs. repeat trials; cue-stimulus interval (preparation time); task difficulty; number of tasks; cue transparency. |
Measurement |
Switch cost (switch − repeat RT and accuracy); mixing cost (mixed block − pure block); preparation effect (switch cost reduction with longer CSI). |
Variations¶
Variation |
Description |
Justification |
|---|---|---|
Cued Task-Switching |
Explicit cue signals task on each trial; separates cue-processing from task-reconfiguration. |
Canonical cue specifies task each trial |
Alternating Runs (AABB) |
Predictable task sequences without explicit cues; switch costs reflect preparation failures. |
Predictable alternation without explicit cue; different task structure |
Voluntary Task Switching |
Participants freely choose which task to perform; reveals internal control biases. |
Participant chooses task; measures voluntary switching rates |
Mixing Cost Paradigm |
Comparing single-task blocks to mixed-task blocks; indexes sustained task-set maintenance. |
Compares mixed-block to pure-block performance; different block structure |
Cue-Stimulus Interval (CSI) Manipulation |
Varying preparation time between cue and target; preparation reduces switch costs. |
Varies preparation time; tests proactive preparation |
Response-Stimulus Interval (RSI) Manipulation |
Varying intertrial interval; affects passive dissipation of prior task set. |
Varies post-response interval; tests backward inhibition decay |
Task Switching with N>2 Tasks |
Three or more tasks; reveals backward inhibition and n-2 repetition costs. |
Three or more tasks; different reconfiguration demands |
Univalent vs. Bivalent Stimuli |
Stimuli affording response under one task only vs. both tasks. |
Stimuli compatible with one vs. both tasks; different interference structure |
Predictable vs. Random Task Sequences |
Examining preparation and anticipation effects. |
Known vs. unknown switch sequence; tests preparation strategies |
Task Switching with Conflict |
Combining task switching with Stroop/flanker-type conflict. |
Bivalent stimuli with competing responses; combined switching and conflict |
Cognitive processes¶
This task engages the following cognitive processes:
Key references¶
{‘authors’: ‘Rogers, R. D., & Monsell, S.’, ‘year’: 1995, ‘title’: ‘Costs of a predictible switch between simple cognitive tasks.’, ‘venue’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: General’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Journal of Experimental Psychology: General’, ‘volume’: ‘124’, ‘issue’: ‘2’, ‘pages’: ‘207-231’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/0096-3445.124.2.207’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Rogers, R. D., & Monsell, S. (1995). Costs of a predictable switch between simple cognitive tasks. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 124(2), 207-231.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/0096-3445.124.2.207’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Monsell, S.’, ‘year’: 2003, ‘title’: ‘Task switching’, ‘venue’: ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’, ‘volume’: ‘7’, ‘issue’: ‘3’, ‘pages’: ‘134-140’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/s1364-6613(03)00028-7’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Monsell, S. (2003). Task switching. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 7(3), 134-140.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/s1364-6613(03)00028-7’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Braver, T. S., Reynolds, J. R., & Donaldson, D. I.’, ‘year’: 2003, ‘title’: ‘Neural Mechanisms of Transient and Sustained Cognitive Control during Task Switching’, ‘venue’: ‘Neuron’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Neuron’, ‘volume’: ‘39’, ‘issue’: ‘4’, ‘pages’: ‘713-726’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00466-5’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Braver, T. S., Reynolds, J. R., & Donaldson, D. I. (2003). Neural mechanisms of transient and sustained cognitive control during task switching. Neuron, 39(4), 713-726.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1016/s0896-6273(03)00466-5’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
Recent references¶
{‘authors’: ‘Kiesel, A., Steinhauser, M., Wendt, M., Falkenstein, M., Jost, K., Philipp, A. M., & Koch, I.’, ‘year’: 2010, ‘title’: ‘Control and interference in task switching—A review.’, ‘venue’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘volume’: ‘136’, ‘issue’: ‘5’, ‘pages’: ‘849-874’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/a0019842’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Kiesel, A., Steinhauser, M., Wendt, M., Falkenstein, M., Jost, K., Philipp, A. M., & Koch, I. (2010). Control and interference in task switching—A review. Psychological Bulletin, 136(5), 849–874.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019842’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Vandierendonck, A., Liefooghe, B., & Verbruggen, F.’, ‘year’: 2010, ‘title’: ‘Task switching: Interplay of reconfiguration and interference control.’, ‘venue’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Psychological Bulletin’, ‘volume’: ‘136’, ‘issue’: ‘4’, ‘pages’: ‘601-626’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1037/a0019791’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Vandierendonck, A., Liefooghe, B., & Verbruggen, F. (2010). Task switching: Interplay of reconfiguration and interference control. Psychological Bulletin, 136(4), 601–626.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1037/a0019791’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Grange, J. A., & Houghton, G.’, ‘year’: 2014, ‘title’: ‘Models of Cognitive Control in Task Switching’, ‘venue’: ‘Task Switching and Cognitive Control’, ‘venue_type’: ‘book_chapter’, ‘journal’: None, ‘volume’: None, ‘issue’: None, ‘pages’: ‘160-199’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199921959.003.0008’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Grange, J. A., & Houghton, G. (2014). Models of cognitive control in task switching. In Task Switching and Cognitive Control (pp. 160–199). Oxford University Press.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199921959.003.0008’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}
{‘authors’: ‘Braem, S., & Egner, T.’, ‘year’: 2018, ‘title’: ‘Getting a Grip on Cognitive Flexibility’, ‘venue’: ‘Current Directions in Psychological Science’, ‘venue_type’: ‘journal’, ‘journal’: ‘Current Directions in Psychological Science’, ‘volume’: ‘27’, ‘issue’: ‘6’, ‘pages’: ‘470-476’, ‘doi’: ‘10.1177/0963721418787475’, ‘openalex_id’: None, ‘pmid’: None, ‘citation_string’: ‘Braem, S., & Egner, T. (2018). Getting a grip on cognitive flexibility. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(6), 470–476.’, ‘url’: ‘https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721418787475’, ‘source’: ‘crossref’, ‘confidence’: ‘high’, ‘verified_on’: ‘2026-04-20’}