Task Switching between Face Categorizations: An Advance Preparation Effect

Abstract

This study examined how advance preparation modulates our ability to switch between face categorizations The study included three switching experiments with different pairs of facial categorization tasks In experiment 1 subjects switched between gender and occupation categorizations Results showed a larger switch cost for the occupation task In experiment 2 participants categorized emotion and gender categorizations Results yielded a larger switch cost for the gender task In experiment 3 subjects performed emotion and occupation categorization task There was a larger switch cost for the occupation task The overall results of experiments indicated that harder task yielded a larger switch cost than the easier task Moreover these switch costs can be reduced with sufficient preparation time This study is the first investigation into advance preparation effect during switching between tasks of social significance We discuss why asymmetries reduce with an advance preparation during face categorization tasks