Abstract sequential task control is facilitated by practice and embedded motor sequences.

ABSTRACT: Everyday task sequences, such as cooking, contain overarching goals (completing the meal), subgoals (prepare vegetables), and motor actions (chopping). Such tasks generally are considered hierarchical because superordinate levels (e.g., goals) affect performance at subordinate levels (e.g., subgoals and motor actions). However, there is debate as to whether this hierarchy is "strict" with unidirectional, top-down influences, and it is unknown if and how practice affects performance at the superordinate levels. To investigate these questions, we manipulated practice with sequences at the goal and motor action levels using an abstract, or nonmotor, task sequence paradigm (Desrochers et al., 2015; Schneider & Logan, 2006). In three experiments, participants performed memorized abstract task s

SUBMITTER: Trach JE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8958513 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature