Task organization in multitasking: Determinants and characteristics of individual preferences for serial versus overlapping task processing and different strategies of response organization

当前的项目解决了在处理多个任务需求时的个体差异。在第一个资助期间，已经开发了两个实验范式，可以描述在同时执行两个认知任务时，在两个不同层次的任务组织上的个人偏好。第一个被称为带有预览的任务切换（TSWP），用于研究个人对不同流程组织模式的偏好，即串行与重叠任务处理。第二种被称为自由并发双任务（FCDT），它允许在同时处理两个任务时区分不同类型的响应组织。在第一种范式的基础上，我们发现个体在偏好的处理模式上存在系统性差异。虽然有些人更喜欢严格地连续处理两个任务，但其他人使用重叠（并行）处理选项来优化多任务性能。在反应组织层面也出现了类似的差异。这里可以区分出三种类型的行为策略，即阻断、切换和响应分组。此外，有证据表明，所选择的处理模式适应于任务需求（即同时执行的任务之间的串扰风险）。相比之下，选择的反应策略似乎反映了一种更严格的个人偏见，这种偏见与任务之间的资源竞争强度无关。当前的项目利用了这些发现，并将有助于更好地理解多任务处理中两个任务组织层次上的个人偏好的特征、潜在决定因素和联系。使用上述两种范式，将在一系列拟议的实验室实验中解决以下具体目标：(1)确定首选处理模式与反应组织策略之间的可能联系。(2)澄清重叠处理的本质，即在TSWP范式中被识别为重叠处理者的个体究竟以重叠的方式处理了什么，以及这种重叠处理何时发生。(3)自上而下和自下而上控制在反应组织的首选处理模式和策略中的作用。(4)考察情境（如一般记忆负荷、诱导认知思维方式、动机状态）对FCDT范式下不同反应组织策略使用和效率的影响。此外，还计划与该项目的其他伙伴进行一些合作研究，其中包括研究认知心理学和运动科学中使用的其他多任务范式中发现的认知和行为控制的个体差异。

The current project addresses individual differences in coping with multiple task requirements. During the first funding period two experimental paradigms have been developed which enable to describe individual preferences on two different levels of task organization when performing two cognitive tasks concurrently. The first one is referred to as task-switching with preview (TSWP) and is used to study individual preferences for different modes of process organization, i.e. serial versus overlapping task processing. The second one is referred to as free concurrent dual-tasking (FCDT) and enables for differentiating between different sorts of response organization when coping concurrently with two tasks. Based on the first paradigm evidence was found, that individuals differ systematically in their preferred mode of processing. While some individuals prefer to work strictly serially on two tasks, others use options of overlapping (parallel) processing in order to optimize multitasking performance. Similar differences emerged on the level of response organization. Here three types of behavioral strategies could be distinguished which are referred to as blocking, switching and response-grouping. Moreover, evidence was found that the chosen mode of processing is adapted to task-demands (i.e. the risk of crosstalk between tasks to be performed concurrently). In contrast, the chosen response strategy seems to reflect a more rigid individual bias which remains constant independent of the strength of resource competition between tasks. The current project capitalizes on these findings and shall contribute to a better understanding of the characteristics, underlying determinants and links of the individual preferences on the two levels of task-organization in multitasking. With the use of the two paradigms mentioned above, the following specific objectives will be addressed in a series of proposed laboratory experiments: (1) Identification of possible links between preferred modes of processing and strategies of response organization. (2) Clarifying the nature of overlapping processing, i.e. what exactly is processed in an overlapping manner by individuals identified as overlapping processors in the TSWP paradigm and when this overlapping processing takes place. (3) Investigating the involvement of top-down and bottom-up control in preferred modes of processing and strategies of response organization. (4) Investigating context effects (e.g. general memory load, induced cognitive style of thinking, motivational state) on the use and efficiency of different response organization strategies in the FCDT paradigm. In addition, a number of cooperative studies with other partners in the project are planned which, among others, will address links to individual differences of cognitive and behavioral control found in other multitasking paradigms used in cognitive psychology and movement sciences.