Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior

Brontë Mckeown; Will H. Strawson; Meichao Zhang; Adam Turnbull; Delali Konu; Theodoros Karapanagiotidis; Hao Ting Wang; Robert Leech; Ting Xu; Samyogita Hardikar; Boris Bernhardt; Daniel Margulies; Elizabeth Jefferies; Jeffrey Wammes; Jonathan Smallwood

doi:10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0

Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior

Brontë Mckeown^*, Will H. Strawson, Meichao Zhang, Adam Turnbull, Delali Konu, Theodoros Karapanagiotidis, Hao Ting Wang, Robert Leech, Ting Xu, Samyogita Hardikar, Boris Bernhardt, Daniel Margulies, Elizabeth Jefferies, Jeffrey Wammes, Jonathan Smallwood

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Cognitive neuroscience has gained insight into covert states using experience sampling. Traditionally, this approach has focused on off-task states. However, task-relevant states are also maintained via covert processes. Our study examined whether experience sampling can also provide insights into covert goal-relevant states that support task performance. To address this question, we developed a neural state space, using dimensions of brain function variation, that allows neural correlates of overt and covert states to be examined in a common analytic space. We use this to describe brain activity during task performance, its relation to covert states identified via experience sampling, and links between individual variation in overt and covert states and task performance. Our study established deliberate task focus was linked to faster target detection, and brain states underlying this experience—and target detection—were associated with activity patterns emphasizing the fronto-parietal network. In contrast, brain states underlying off-task experiences—and vigilance periods—were linked to activity patterns emphasizing the default mode network. Our study shows experience sampling can not only describe covert states that are unrelated to the task at hand, but can also be used to highlight the role fronto-parietal regions play in the maintenance of covert task-relevant states.

Original language	English
Article number	21710
Number of pages	17
Journal	Scientific reports
Volume	13
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0
Publication status	Published - 7 Dec 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This project was supported by the European Research Council Consolidator Grant awarded to J.S. (WANDERINGMINDS–646927).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).

Access to Document

10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0Licence: CC BY

Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior
© The Author(s) 2023
Final published version, 6.36 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

Mckeown, B., Strawson, W. H., Zhang, M., Turnbull, A., Konu, D., Karapanagiotidis, T., Wang, H. T., Leech, R., Xu, T., Hardikar, S., Bernhardt, B., Margulies, D., Jefferies, E., Wammes, J., & Smallwood, J. (2023). Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior. Scientific reports, 13(1), Article 21710. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0

@article{e92a27b44c4b43e5b08122be51f61780,

title = "Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior",

abstract = "Cognitive neuroscience has gained insight into covert states using experience sampling. Traditionally, this approach has focused on off-task states. However, task-relevant states are also maintained via covert processes. Our study examined whether experience sampling can also provide insights into covert goal-relevant states that support task performance. To address this question, we developed a neural state space, using dimensions of brain function variation, that allows neural correlates of overt and covert states to be examined in a common analytic space. We use this to describe brain activity during task performance, its relation to covert states identified via experience sampling, and links between individual variation in overt and covert states and task performance. Our study established deliberate task focus was linked to faster target detection, and brain states underlying this experience—and target detection—were associated with activity patterns emphasizing the fronto-parietal network. In contrast, brain states underlying off-task experiences—and vigilance periods—were linked to activity patterns emphasizing the default mode network. Our study shows experience sampling can not only describe covert states that are unrelated to the task at hand, but can also be used to highlight the role fronto-parietal regions play in the maintenance of covert task-relevant states.",

author = "Bront{\"e} Mckeown and Strawson, {Will H.} and Meichao Zhang and Adam Turnbull and Delali Konu and Theodoros Karapanagiotidis and Wang, {Hao Ting} and Robert Leech and Ting Xu and Samyogita Hardikar and Boris Bernhardt and Daniel Margulies and Elizabeth Jefferies and Jeffrey Wammes and Jonathan Smallwood",

note = "Funding Information: This project was supported by the European Research Council Consolidator Grant awarded to J.S. (WANDERINGMINDS–646927). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023, The Author(s).",

year = "2023",

month = dec,

day = "7",

doi = "10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0",

language = "English",

volume = "13",

journal = "Scientific reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Springer",

number = "1",

}

Mckeown, B, Strawson, WH, Zhang, M, Turnbull, A, Konu, D , Karapanagiotidis, T , Wang, HT, Leech, R, Xu, T, Hardikar, S, Bernhardt, B, Margulies, D, Jefferies, E, Wammes, J & Smallwood, J 2023, 'Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior', Scientific reports, vol. 13, no. 1, 21710. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0

TY - JOUR

T1 - Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior

AU - Mckeown, Brontë

AU - Strawson, Will H.

AU - Zhang, Meichao

AU - Turnbull, Adam

AU - Konu, Delali

AU - Karapanagiotidis, Theodoros

AU - Wang, Hao Ting

AU - Leech, Robert

AU - Xu, Ting

AU - Hardikar, Samyogita

AU - Bernhardt, Boris

AU - Margulies, Daniel

AU - Jefferies, Elizabeth

AU - Wammes, Jeffrey

AU - Smallwood, Jonathan

PY - 2023/12/7

Y1 - 2023/12/7

N2 - Cognitive neuroscience has gained insight into covert states using experience sampling. Traditionally, this approach has focused on off-task states. However, task-relevant states are also maintained via covert processes. Our study examined whether experience sampling can also provide insights into covert goal-relevant states that support task performance. To address this question, we developed a neural state space, using dimensions of brain function variation, that allows neural correlates of overt and covert states to be examined in a common analytic space. We use this to describe brain activity during task performance, its relation to covert states identified via experience sampling, and links between individual variation in overt and covert states and task performance. Our study established deliberate task focus was linked to faster target detection, and brain states underlying this experience—and target detection—were associated with activity patterns emphasizing the fronto-parietal network. In contrast, brain states underlying off-task experiences—and vigilance periods—were linked to activity patterns emphasizing the default mode network. Our study shows experience sampling can not only describe covert states that are unrelated to the task at hand, but can also be used to highlight the role fronto-parietal regions play in the maintenance of covert task-relevant states.

AB - Cognitive neuroscience has gained insight into covert states using experience sampling. Traditionally, this approach has focused on off-task states. However, task-relevant states are also maintained via covert processes. Our study examined whether experience sampling can also provide insights into covert goal-relevant states that support task performance. To address this question, we developed a neural state space, using dimensions of brain function variation, that allows neural correlates of overt and covert states to be examined in a common analytic space. We use this to describe brain activity during task performance, its relation to covert states identified via experience sampling, and links between individual variation in overt and covert states and task performance. Our study established deliberate task focus was linked to faster target detection, and brain states underlying this experience—and target detection—were associated with activity patterns emphasizing the fronto-parietal network. In contrast, brain states underlying off-task experiences—and vigilance periods—were linked to activity patterns emphasizing the default mode network. Our study shows experience sampling can not only describe covert states that are unrelated to the task at hand, but can also be used to highlight the role fronto-parietal regions play in the maintenance of covert task-relevant states.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85178926570&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0

DO - 10.1038/s41598-023-48857-0

M3 - Article

C2 - 38066069

AN - SCOPUS:85178926570

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 13

JO - Scientific reports

JF - Scientific reports

IS - 1

M1 - 21710

ER -

Experience sampling reveals the role that covert goal states play in task-relevant behavior

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Access to Document

Other files and links

Cite this