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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2024 Nov 1.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Rev Psychol. 2023 Sep 27;2(11):702–714. doi: 10.1038/s44159-023-00234-4

Figure 2. Classic tasks and results indexing adjustments in cognitive stability and flexibility.

Figure 2.

a, In a typical Stroop task, participants are required to name the ink colours while ignoring the words. b, A typical response time pattern is that the size of the conflict effect (the difference between incongruent and congruent trials) is reduced for blocks and items or stimuli that are associated with frequent conflict. The list-wide proportion congruent effect and the item-specific proportion congruent effect can be seen by comparing the difference of differences between the two bars on the left and the two bars on the right sides of the graph. c, In a typical cued task switching protocol, the colour of each digit cues the participants whether to perform a parity or magnitude task. d, A typical response time pattern in cued task switching, in which the performance cost of switching tasks (the difference between switch and repeat trials) is reduced for blocks and items that are associated with frequent switching. The list-wide proportion switch effect and the item-specific proportion switch effect can be seen in the larger difference between the left set of bars than between the right set of bars.