grange et al. (durham eps, 2016)
TRANSCRIPT
The Effect of Episodic Retrieval on Inhibition in Task Switching
Jim Grange, Agnieszka Kowalczyk, & Rory O’Loughlin
A Problem of Control
• Humans live in a rich, multi-task environment
• Goal-directed behaviour requires selecting the most relevant stimulus to act upon
A Problem of Control
• Stimulus selection is only half the battle:– Stimuli are often multivalent
A Problem of Control
• When stimuli are multivalent, we must be able to select the relevant task to perform
• We must also be able to maintain that operation once selected so task-irrelevant operations do not intrude
A Problem of Control
• We must also be able to maintain that task once selected so task-irrelevant intrusions do not occur
A Problem of Control
• We must also be able to switch away from this task when our goals change
Task Switching
Grange & Houghton (2009, 2010); Houghton et al. (2009)
How is Task Switching Achieved?
• A possible solution:
– Activate task-relevant representations when they are required
– Inhibit task-irrelevant representations when they are no longer required
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B A
Time
Mayr & Keele (2000)
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B A
Time
Mayr & Keele (2000)
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B A
Time
Mayr & Keele (2000)
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B A
Time
Mayr & Keele (2000)
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B AC B A
Inhibition in Task Switching
A B AC B A
Backward Inhibition (BI) = RT(ABA) – RT(CBA)“N–2 repetition cost”
Inhibition in Task Switching
• Why is this effect important?
– Can be used to investigate inhibition using different approaches:• Clinical• Neuropsychological• Neuroscience • Individual Differences
Inhibition in Task Switching
• Why is this effect important?
– Many “inhibition” effects can be explained without appeal to inhibitory mechanisms• e.g., negative priming, Stroop performance
– N-2 repetition cost is—to date—robust against these alternative explanations
Episodic Retrieval Account
• A key non-inhibitory account that can explain a lot of “inhibitory-type” effects
• Automatic cue-based retrieval of episodic traces of previous task experience
– Retrieval facilitates performance if it matches current task demands
– Retrieval interferes with performance if it mis-matches current task demands
“Bottom Left!”
Time
MATCH!
“Bottom Left!”
Time
MISMATCH!
Episodic Retrieval Account
• Explains the n-2 repetition cost by interference during episodic retrieval rather than inhibition
Time
EpisodicMatch
N-2 Repetition Facilitation
Episodic Mismatch
N-2 Repetition Facilitation
N-2 Repetition Cost
N-2 Repetition Facilitation
Episodic Retrieval Prediction
Mayr’s (2002) Results
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Mayr (2002)
• Episodic retrieval cannot explain n-2 repetition cost in task switching– Remains a strong marker of inhibition
• It is not clear, though, whether episodic retrieval has any modulatory effect
Mayr (2002)
• Numerical trend for smaller costs for episodic matches
• F(1, 38) = 1.3, p=.26
• Can’t accept a null!
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Mayr (2002)
• Bayesian analysis of this interaction (BF01 = 0.315) suggests null ~ 3 times more likely
• This only provides “anecdotal” support for null (Schoenbrodt et al., 2016)
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
The Present Study: Experiment 1
The Present Study
• Replicate key aspects of Mayr’s (2002) design
• Used sequential Bayesian analysis to collect compelling data
– We only stopped data collection once we had “substantial” support for one hypothesis over the other
– (i.e., whether episodic retrieval does or does not modulate the n-2 repetition cost)
Sequential Bayesian Analysis
• Conduct Bayesian t-test after every participant– N-2 repetition cost (resp. rep.) Vs. – N-2 repetition cost (resp. switch)
• Bayes Factor– Degree of support for one model (i.e., hypothesis)
compared to another model, given the data observed– BF10 of 10 means alternative is 10 times more likely
than null, given the data– BF10 of 0.1 means null is 10 times more likely than
alternative, given the data
Sequential Bayesian Analysis
• Stop data collection when the Bayes factor is either:
– Greater than 6 (strong support for alternative)
– Less than 1/6 (strong support for null)
Method
• N = 76• Replication of Mayr’s
design• 4 blocks of 120 trials• Task chosen randomly
(no repetitions)• Stimulus location
chosen randomly
Results• Sequence: F(1, 75) = 94.14, p < .001, η2
G = .018
• Response Rep.:F(1, 75) = 18.21, p < .001, η2
G = .004
• Interaction: F(1, 75) = 9.60, p < .01, η2
G = .001
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Results• Bayes Factor:• BF10 = 9.97
• Model of different n-2 repetition costs for response repetition and switch is 10 times more likely than a null model
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Discussion
• N-2 repetition cost is modulated by episodic retrieval
– When retrieval parameters match current task demands, the n-2 repetition cost is reduced
– Almost halves the cost (!)– Important if we wish to use this cost as an
individual difference marker of inhibition
Experiment 2
Method
• Manipulated cue–task complexity
• Arrow cues provide bottom-up support for response selection
• Shape cues have no pre-experimental association with tasks
Arrow Cues Shape Cues
Method
Arrow Cues• Less reliance on
working memory representations
• Less benefit / interference from episodic retrieval
• Reduced episodic retrieval effect
Arrow Cues Shape Cues
Method
Shape Cues• Greater reliance on
working memory representations
• More benefit / interference from episodic retrieval
• Increased episodic retrieval effect
Arrow Cues Shape Cues
Method
• Stopping rule same as before, but test is on 3-way interaction
• Currently have 17 subjects– Not ready to stop, so…
• …data are thus preliminary…
30ms
132ms
3ms
–52ms
3-way Interaction: F(1, 16) = 5.61, p = .03, η2G = .009
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Bayes Factor (interaction vs. 2 main effects model) =
10.93
Discussion
• Episodic retrieval effects larger with more abstract cues
– Greater reliance on WM representations– More interaction with retrieved episodic traces
Discussion
• No evidence for inhibition when episodic retrieval matches current task demands– 3ms for Arrow cues– NEGATIVE 52ms for Shape cues (i.e., positive
priming)
• This data set currently matches prediction of a pure episodic retrieval account of the n-2 repetition cost
Predicted vs. Observed
Error bars denote +/- 1 SE
Conclusions
• We have provided evidence for (at least) a modulatory role of episodic retrieval during task switching
• When retrieval matches current task demands:– Reduces the n-2 repetition cost (Exp. 1)– Introduces an n-2 repetition benefit (Exp. 2)
Conclusions
• The n–2 repetition cost in task switching is (at least) a contaminated measure– Task-specific inhibition plus– Episodic interference / facilitation
• Researchers needs to be cognisant of this issue when using this effect as a “pure” measure of inhibition
Thank You!
A copy of these slides will be available on our lab’s website:
www.jimgrange.wordpress.com
Stopping Rule in Action
Prior Robustness Check