Switching attention from internal to external information processing: A review of the literature and empirical support of the resource sharing account.
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Level assigned by non-clinical design analogy (narrative review paired with a series of four experimental behavioral laboratory studies).
PubMed 30719626 · doi:10.3758/s13423-019-01568-y
What was done
The authors reviewed the literature on cognitive mechanisms governing flexible shifts between perceptual attention (external information) and working memory (internal information) within task-switching frameworks. They subsequently conducted four behavioral experiments using a novel paradigm to measure and compare switch costs between domains (internal-to-external) versus within domains (external-to-external).
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical values, reaction times, or statistical test metrics. It reports qualitatively that a reliable between-domain switch cost was observed across the four experiments, and that its magnitude was similar to standard within-domain switch costs, consistent with a model where internal and external attention share a central limited resource.
Why it matters
This study provides empirical support for the shared-resource account of attention, suggesting that redirecting focus from internal memory representations to incoming sensory stimuli relies on the same serial control mechanisms that manage shifts between external tasks.
Limits
The abstract does not disclose participant sample sizes, demographic characteristics, error rates, or exact reaction time costs. As a laboratory-based behavioral paradigm, ecological validity in complex real-world multitasking environments remains to be established.
Cited by
- supports When switching between tasks, there is a measurable switching cost where performance is slower and more difficult on the initial subsequent trials.