Dual task interference on early perceptual processing
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Dual task interference on early perceptual processing Justin Duncan 1,2
&
Amélie Roberge 3 & Ulysse Fortier-Gauthier 3 & Daniel Fiset 2 & Caroline Blais 2 & Benoit Brisson 3
Accepted: 14 September 2020 # The Author(s) 2020
Abstract When two tasks, Task 1 and Task 2, are conducted in close temporal proximity and a separate speeded response is required for each target (T1 and T2), T2 report performance decreases as a function of its temporal proximity to T1. This so-called psychological refractory period (PRP) effect on T2 processing is largely assumed to reflect interference from T1 response selection on T2 response selection. However, interference on early perceptual processing of T2 has been observed in a modified paradigm, which required changes in visual-spatial attention, sensory modality, task modality, and response modality across targets. The goal of the present study was to investigate the possibility of early perceptual interference by systematically and iteratively removing each of these possible non perceptual confounds, in a series of four experiments. To assess T2 visual memory consolidation success, T2 was presented for a varying duration and immediately masked. T2 report accuracy, which was taken as a measure of perceptual—encoding or consolidation—success, decreased across all experimental control conditions as T1–T2 onset proximity increased. We argue that our results, in light of previous studies, show that central processing of a first target, responsible for the classical PRP effect, also interferes with early perceptual processing of a second target. We end with a discussion of broader implications for psychological refractory period and attentional blink effects. Keywords Psychological refractory period . Dual task . Central attention . Visual-spatial attention . Visual working memory . Task switching . Attentional blink
Contemporary life frequently requires individuals to concurrently process multiple stimuli or carry more than one task at a time. Yet despite the impressive flexibility and capacity of the human mind for adaptation, dedication to multiple overlapping tasks (i.e., multitasking) comes at a cost. This cost can
be studied in a laboratory setting using highly useful experimental procedures: the psychological refractory period (PRP; Telford, 1931) and attentional blink (AB; Raymond, Shapiro, & Arnell, 1992) paradigms. Though the present study mainly focuses on the former, we will later see how it may provide
Statement of significance Modern life often comes with the expectation that we can do multiple things or process multiple objects at the same time (i.e., multitasking). Using a dual task experimental paradigm, we show that multitasking demands interfere with visual information processing at an early perceptual stage. This study eloquently illustrates the cost of multitasking and bears critical implications, especially for settings in which immediate response to a sudden or transient visual event is required, such as, for example, when driving a car. Electronic supplementa
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