Decomposing age-related decline in task switching ability using computational modeling

What is it about?

We used the Diffusion Decision Model (DDM) to study the cognitive components of switch costs in a novel task-switch paradigm. Age-related effects occur in separate components of switch costs, which can be quantified with DDM parameters.

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Photo by AP x 90 on Unsplash

Photo by AP x 90 on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Two important findings: First, age-related switch costs are not just sensitive to the distinction between global and local switch costs. Rather, the distinction between switch costs indexed by reaction time, and switch costs indexed by accuracy, is also important. Second, we illustrate that our paradigm, in conjunction with the Diffusion Decision Model (DDM), allows one to distinguish between early- and late-stage control processes involved in task switching.

Perspectives