Spontaneous Task Structure Formation Results in a Cost to Incidental Memory of Task Stimuli.

ABSTRACT: Humans are characterized by their ability to leverage rules for classifying and linking stimuli to context-appropriate actions. Previous studies have shown that when humans learn stimulus-response associations for two-dimensional stimuli, they implicitly form and generalize hierarchical rule structures (task-sets). However, the cognitive processes underlying structure formation are poorly understood. Across four experiments, we manipulated how trial-unique images mapped onto responses to bias spontaneous task-set formation and investigated structure learning through the lens of incidental stimulus encoding. Participants performed a learning task designed to either promote task-set formation (by "motor-clustering" possible stimulus-action rules), or to discourage it (by using arbitrary cate

SUBMITTER: Bejjani C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6929588 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature