The Timing of Context-Triggered Retrieval Processes in Task Switching: Constant Context Presentation

Recent task-switching studies highlighted the presence of feature binding processes. These studies documented that even a task-irrelevant feature (the context, henceforth) may be bound with the task and the response in each trial. When the context repeated in the following trial, it supposedly retrieved the bound features, causing benefits when the task and the response repeated and costs otherwise (i.e. full repetition benefits). Previous work suggested that full repetition benefits when the context repeated were found only when the context appeared early enough during the trial timeline to yield binding effects (Benini et al., 2023, 2024). However, in these studies, a delayed context onset implied a shorter context presentation duration (with one exception, namely Exp. 2 of Benini et al., 2023). This is the second of two experiments, where we introduced a stimulus-onset asynchrony (SOA) manipulation between the cue and the context onset. Specifically, we investigate the effect of presenting the context before, with, or after the cue but keeping constant the total context presentation duration. The results of Experiment 1 show no effect of the SOA. Note, however, that we could not replicate the full repetition benefits in the reaction times; rather, we observed in the error rates that repeating a context increased the response-repetition costs in task switches. Therefore, in the present study we investigate the robustness of these results (i.e., no effect of SOA and an increase of response-repetition costs with a context repetition), in particular emphasizing both accuracy and speed equally in the instructions.

Recent task-switching studies accumulated evidence in favour of feature binding processes. One marker thereof is the response-speed benefit in full repetition trials, where task, response, and a task-irrelevant feature (i.e., context) repeat, compared to partial repetitions where the context switches. This is explained by reoccurring features retrieving the binding of the previous trial. Previous studies indicate that the benefit is higher when the context appears early (before the target) versus late in a trial (with target onset). However, in most of these studies, an early context was also presented for a longer time. In the present study, we manipulated the context onset (before, with, and after cue onset) while keeping context presentation duration constant. In Experiment 1 (N=95), we did not observe full repetition benefits, nor a modulating effect of context onset thereof. In Experiment 2 (N=96), we observed full repetition benefits, and these were modulated by context onset. Specifically, a repeating context seems to retrieve the previous-trial task and response only when it appeared simultaneous to the cue. This suggests that context onset plays a role in episodic retrieval, independently from context presentation duration. Furthermore, we observed a contextual modulation of the response repetition cost which we interpreted in terms of a combination of binding and response inhibition. Taken together, this study further specifies the dynamics of binding and retrieval of task irrelevant contextual features in task switching.

Recent task-switching studies accumulated evidence in favour of feature binding processes. One marker thereof is the response-speed benefit in full repetition trials, where task, response, and a task-irrelevant feature (i.e., context) repeat, compared to partial repetitions where the context switches. This is explained by reoccurring features retrieving the binding of the previous trial. Previous studies indicate that the benefit is higher when the context appears early (before the target) versus late in a trial (with target onset). However, in most of these studies, an early context was also presented for a longer time. In the present study, we manipulated the context onset (before, with, and after cue onset) while keeping context presentation duration constant. In Experiment 1 (N=95), we did not observe full repetition benefits, nor a modulating effect of context onset thereof. In Experiment 2 (N=96), we observed full repetition benefits, and these were modulated by context onset. Specifically, a repeating context seems to retrieve the previous-trial task and response only when it appeared simultaneous to the cue. This suggests that context onset plays a role in episodic retrieval, independently from context presentation duration. Furthermore, we observed a contextual modulation of the response repetition cost which we interpreted in terms of a combination of binding and response inhibition. Taken together, this study further specifies the dynamics of binding and retrieval of task irrelevant contextual features in task switching.

Recent task-switching studies accumulated evidence in favour of feature binding processes. One marker thereof is the response-speed benefit in full repetition trials, where task, response, and a task-irrelevant feature (i.e., context) repeat, compared to partial repetitions where the context switches. This is explained by reoccurring features retrieving the binding of the previous trial. Previous studies indicate that the benefit is higher when the context appears early (before the target) versus late in a trial (with target onset). However, in most of these studies, an early context was also presented for a longer time. In the present study, we manipulated the context onset (before, with, and after cue onset) while keeping context presentation duration constant. In Experiment 1 (N=95), we did not observe full repetition benefits, nor a modulating effect of context onset thereof. In Experiment 2 (N=96), we observed full repetition benefits, and these were modulated by context onset. Specifically, a repeating context seems to retrieve the previous-trial task and response only when it appeared simultaneous to the cue. This suggests that context onset plays a role in episodic retrieval, independently from context presentation duration. Furthermore, we observed a contextual modulation of the response repetition cost which we interpreted in terms of a combination of binding and response inhibition. Taken together, this study further specifies the dynamics of binding and retrieval of task irrelevant contextual features in task switching.