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Functional decay theory is proposed as an integrated account of task switching and task maintenance. The theory has a precise formulation that predicts the three novel effects documented here. First, performance declines (rather than improving, as one might expect) across a run of consecutive trials between instructional cues. This within-run slowing effect appears to be latent in other task-switching data as well. Alternative accounts involving changes in speed-accuracy emphasis, alertness, and expectancy, are tested and rejected. Second, switch cost is evident in differential error rates well beyond the switch trial, not just in terms of increased RT on the switch trial. This effect is a novel form of switch cost that poses a challenge to extant models of task switching. Third, an instructional cue need not switch the task to cause increased RT. This noswitch slowing effect has no apparent explanation without reference to the functional demands of a maintenance process.
Altmann, E. M., & Gray, W. D. (2002). Forgetting to remember: The functional relationship of decay and interference. Psychological Science, 13(1), 27-33.
Altmann, E. M., & Gray, W. D. (2000). Managing attention by preparing to forget. Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 44th Annual Meeting. Santa Monica, CA: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Altmann, E. M., & Gray, W. D. (2000). An integrated model of set shifting and maintenance. In N. Taatgen & J. Aasman (Eds.), Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Cognitive Modeling (pp. 17-24). Veenendal, NL: Universal Press.
Altmann, E. M. & Gray, W. D. (1999). Serial Attention as Strategic Memory. Twenty first annual meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 25-30). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Altmann, E.M., Gray, W.D. (1998). Pervasive Episodic Memory: Evidence from a Control-of-Attention Paradigm. In M. A. Gernsbacher & S. J. Derry (Eds.), Twentieth Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 42-47). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
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