Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
10458688 | Consciousness and Cognition | 2011 | 12 Pages |
Abstract
Using an explicit task cuing paradigm, we tested whether masked cues can trigger task-set activation, which would suggest that unconsciously presented stimuli can impact cognitive control processes. Based on a critical assessment of previous findings on the priming of task-set activation, we present two experiments with a new method to approach this subject. Instead of using a prime, we varied the visibility of the cue. These cues either directly signaled particular tasks in Experiment 1, or certain task transitions (i.e., task repetitions or switches) in Experiment 2. While both masked task and transition cues affected task choice, only task cues affected the speed of task performance. This observation suggests that task-specific stimulus-response rules can be activated only by masked cues that are uniquely associated with a particular task. Taken together, these results demonstrate that unconsciously presented stimuli have the power to activate corresponding task sets.
Keywords
Related Topics
Life Sciences
Neuroscience
Cognitive Neuroscience
Authors
Heiko Reuss, Andrea Kiesel, Wilfried Kunde, Bernhard Hommel,