While task switching has been used thoroughly to study cognitive control the interplay with motivational-affective (ma) task content remains unclear. Facilitated processing of ma task information may improve the activation of ma task-sets, and increase switch costs for the ma task. Previous investigations demonstrated that more dominant task sets experience larger switch costs, as they require active inhibition during the performance of the less dominant task. A corresponding logic was applied to the ma domain.
The current study investigated the temporal dynamics of cognitive control by measuring electrophysiological correlates of task preparation during a cued ma task-switching.
While undergoing an electroencephalographic recording participants performed a cued task switching, repeating, or switching between tasks. The compound stimulus of a digit superimposed on a food stimulus required either to categorize the digit as odd or even (neutral-task) while the food stimulus had to be categorized as either sweet or salty (ma-task).
Behavioral results were in line with the affective dominance hypothesis. The switch costs were increased for the ma task compared to the neutral task. This indicates that the ma task was more dominant requiring inhibition to perform the neutral task.
During the cue-stimulus interval, the switch positivity (sp) at parietal sites was increased for the neutral task, compared to the ma task. Thus larger switch costs were associated with a lower sp. As the sp indicates task-set reconfiguration such a finding could reflect a hampered task-set reconfiguration of the ma task-set due to inhibition.