Parallel processing in overlapping tasks: A model and a method

A dual-bottleneck model for parallel performance of reaction-time tasks in the psychological refractory period paradigm was developed. The first, preparation-based bottleneck prevents perceptual and decisional processes in the second task from operating in parallel with the first task when these processes require specific and explicit preparation. The second bottleneck prevents two independent responses from being initiated and executed in arbitrarily close succession, with the effective strength of this bottleneck depending on response similarity. The response-initiation bottleneck was manipulated in a series of experiments to demonstrate that this bottleneck is responsible for many of the underadditive interactions in overlapping-task performance that have previously been held to indicate parallel processing. A new method was developed to assess the extent and nature of parallel processing in overlapping tasks more reliably and in more detail. This method may also provide an important tool in the investigation of the adaptive control of human information processing.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• De Jong, Ritske

Contributors dc:contributor

• Coles, Michael G.H.

• Psychology, Experimental

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1991 De Jong, Ritske

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9210782
(UMI)AAI9210782

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/19589