The Effect of Cognitive Switching on Sustained Attention

Tasks requiring sustained attention tend to show a decline in performance over time—a phenomenon known as the vigilance decrement. Recent research has successfully used task switches to reveal more about this decrement, but the analysis of individual switch factors has not yet been explored. In this study, a sample of 37 undergraduate Psychology students performed a fast-paced sustained attention task, containing (a) a stimulus switch, (b) a goal switch, (c) a response switch, or any combination of the three. The habituation model of vigilance predicted that these switches would improve performance, because they would increase arousal and restore attention. Instead, these switches worsened performance, apparently because of task set interference. Also, an interaction between response switching and goal switching was found, consistent with prior research. These results demonstrate the importance of examining the content of a task, and the nature of a switch, as separate factors affecting performance. COGNITIVE SWITCHING AND SUSTAINED ATTENTION 3