Task Switching – Improving Brain Response

Time

Task switching refers to the ability of a person to move from one rule-set to another
rule-set corresponding to an external cue. In this document we will refer to the scenario
of changing the current rule-set as “between” (since the brain game player changes
between tasks) and non-transition trials will be referred to as “within” (as the player
stays within the same task)

It is expected the “within” trials will be involved with performance costs:

– The response time in transition trials is expected to be longer.

– It is more likely to make errors in these trials.

In scientific literature “task switching” is mostly held as follows:

1. Setting a sign that informs what is the current rule set – mostly the sign
is the color of the stimuli.
2. Practicing each simple rule application separately – practice a specific rule
without rule transitions.
3. Task switching – alternating the current rule randomly, while having trials
that require not rule transition and trials that require rule transition.

Further options:

* Rules can be made more complex with practice – conditioning response

with more than one condition fulfillment. (For example – if player needed to
respond to arrow pointing right, adding one more arrow and setting the rule
to be – respond only if upper arrow points right)
* More rules can be added with time – (for example if player so far needed
to click only red triangles and green circles now he also needs to click blue
squares).
* Informing the player that next trial is a switch trial – research shows that
there is a preparation effect – if the player knows in advance that a switch is
due the costs of the transition is minimized. Same goes for non-random
transitions, once the player knows the sequence the switching cost is
reduced.
The rules should be presented to the memory game player at all times.