The influence of sequentially changing reward prospect on cognitive flexibility during (voluntary) task switching

（自愿）任务切换期间连续改变奖励前景对认知灵活性的影响

• 批准号: 274800445
• 负责人: Professorin Dr. Gesine Dreisbach
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Lehrstuhl für Psychologie II (Allgemeine Psychologie II)
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Priority Programmes
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2014-12-31 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/274800445?language=en
• 关键词: influence; sequentially; changing; reward; prospect

Attending to two (or more) tasks at the same time requires cognitive flexibility and is associated with performance decrements as compared to single task performance. In cognitive psychology, the task switching paradigm has become a popular tool to investigate a specific kind of multitasking performance, namely performing more than one task in a sequential and random order. In this paradigm, task switches afford cognitive flexibility, whereas task repetitions benefit from cognitive stability. This makes the task switching paradigm an ideal tool to investigate the interplay of two antagonistic control modes, namely flexibility and stability. Considering the increasing importance of successful multitasking performance in modern society it is essential to identify ways to differentially motivate flexible and stable behavior. Recent evidence (Shen & Chun, 2011; Fröber & Dreisbach, under review) suggests that specifically increases in expected reward magnitude increase flexibility whereas the prospect of unchanged high reward increases stability: Predetermined task switches are facilitated and the willingness to deliberately switch the task is increased as compared to unchanged high reward prospect. Aim of the proposed research program is to further investigate how sequential changes in reward prospect differentially influence stability versus flexibility during (voluntary) task switching. In one part of the first funding period, we want to investigate the boundary conditions of the modulation of cognitive flexibility by sequentially changing reward magnitudes. Therefore, we will manipulate global context parameters like the ratio of forced to voluntary task switching, specific instructions given to the participant (on how to choose freely), the absolute vs. relative amount of reward prospect, and varying task difficulties. In the other part, we will focus on the interaction of task expectancies and reward expectancies. Increased cognitive flexibility should facilitate adaptation to unexpected events. Therefore, we want to investigate how sequentially changing reward prospect modulates performance under violations of expectation and increased uncertainty using different procedures of voluntary and forced task switching. The overarching goal of this research program is to deepen our understanding of how global context parameters and motivation modulate processes of cognitive flexibility. As such, the project contributes to the second cluster of the priority program (Flexibility).

同时处理两个（或多个）任务需要认知灵活性，并且与单一任务性能相比，与性能递减相关。在认知心理学中，任务转换范式已经成为研究特定类型的多任务绩效的流行工具，即以顺序和随机顺序执行多个任务。在这种范式中，任务转换提供认知灵活性，而任务重复受益于认知稳定性。这使得任务转换范式成为研究灵活性和稳定性这两种对立控制模式相互作用的理想工具。考虑到成功的多任务性能在现代社会中的重要性日益增加，有必要确定不同的方式来激励灵活和稳定的行为。最近的证据（Shen & Chun，2011; Fröber &德赖斯巴赫，正在审查中）表明，特别是预期奖励幅度的增加增加了灵活性，而不变的高奖励前景增加了稳定性：与不变的高奖励前景相比，预先确定的任务转换得到了促进，故意转换任务的意愿增加了。本研究的目的是进一步探讨奖励前景的连续变化如何在（自愿）任务转换过程中对稳定性和灵活性产生不同的影响。在第一个资助期的一部分，我们要调查的边界条件的认知灵活性的调制顺序改变奖励幅度。因此，我们将操纵全局上下文参数，如被迫到自愿任务切换的比率，给予参与者的具体指示（关于如何自由选择），绝对与相对奖励前景，以及不同的任务难度。在另一部分，我们将重点放在任务期望和奖励期望的相互作用。认知灵活性的增加应该有助于适应意外事件。因此，我们想研究如何连续变化的奖励前景调节下违反预期和增加不确定性的不同程序的自愿和被迫的任务切换的绩效。这项研究计划的总体目标是加深我们对全球背景参数和动机如何调节认知灵活性过程的理解。因此，该项目有助于优先方案的第二组（灵活性）。