Cognitive Control and Dual Task Information Processing

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Why is it so difficult to do two things at once? Many researchers have converged on the idea that a limitation in central cognitive processing is responsible, with most evidence over the last twenty years pointing to a strict limitation, or bottleneck, in the process of response selection. In contrast with these traditional findings, recent research in dual task performance has suggested that response information for two tasks can be produced in parallel, breaking this single-task limit in central cognitive processing. This research proposal extends these recent findings to 1) test the extent to which this parallel operation of typically one-at-a-time central processes can occur, and 2) to explore how strategic or executive control processes can coordinate and modulate serial versus parallel operation of central information processing. By understanding how our brains pay attention to and perform two tasks at the same time, we can make better decisions about everyday situations (such as driving while talking on the phone), and gain a better understanding about how attention, short term memory and our deliberate control of behaviour work together in real world settings.