Research Report Components of task-set reconfiguration: Differential effects of ‘switch-to’ and ‘switch-away’ cues Rebecca Nicholson a,b, ⁎ , Frini Karayanidis a,b,c , Anna Davies, Patricia T. Michie a,b,c a Functional Neuroimaging Lab, School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Australia b Neuroscience Institute of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (NISAD), Australia c Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article history: Accepted 26 August 2006 Available online 29 September 2006 Preparation for a switch in task was manipulated using two types of switch cues: ‘switch- away’ from the previous task-set and ‘switch-to’ a different task-set. Increasing cue–stimulus interval resulted in a reduction in reaction time switch cost for switch-to trials only. Cue- locked difference waveforms for both switch-to and switch-away trials showed a large, broad differential positivity, relative to repeat waveforms. However, the later part of the differential positivity was significantly reduced on switch-away trials. A differential positivity then emerged after stimulus onset for switch-away trials only. This suggests that, with a long cue–stimulus interval, the new task-set was implemented before stimulus onset for switch-to trials, whereas on switch-away trials this process was delayed until after stimulus onset leading to increased switch cost. These results demonstrate dissociable effects of switching away from the current task-set and switching to the upcoming task-set and support the interpretation that the differential positivity observed for switch-to trials reflects processes associated with anticipatory task-set reconfiguration. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: ERP Task-switching Task-set reconfiguration Attentional control 1. Introduction As contextual requirements change, previously relevant information becomes irrelevant and cognitive processes need to be reconfigured to deal with changing contextual demands, suppressing previously relevant task-sets and implementing the currently active task-set (i.e., the procedures required for task completion, Monsell, 1996). Task-switching paradigms have been used to investigate this process of task-set reconfiguration (for review see Monsell, 2003; Logan, 2003). In a typical task-switching experiment, participants alternate between two simple tasks in a fixed sequence or using task cues. Reaction time (RT) is longer on trials that require a switch, as compared to a repeat, in task. This switch cost has been attributed to passive processes associated with the relative level of activation of relevant and irrelevant task-sets and stimulus-response interference (Allport et al., 1994; Allport and Wylie, 2000), as well as the engagement of active task-set reconfiguration processes on switch trials (Rogers and Monsell, 1995). 1.1. Processes underlying RT switch cost It has been consistently found that increasing the time available to prepare in anticipation of a switch in task reduces RT switch cost (e.g., Goschke, 2000; Meiran, 1996; Rogers and Monsell, 1995). This finding has been interpreted as evidence for a cognitive control process of task-set reconfiguration that BRAIN RESEARCH 1121 (2006) 160 – 176 ⁎ Corresponding author. School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia. Fax: +61 2 49216980. E-mail address: Rebecca.Nicholson@newcastle.edu.au (R. Nicholson). 0006-8993/$ – see front matter © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.brainres.2006.08.101 available at www.sciencedirect.com www.elsevier.com/locate/brainres