In this paper we describe a taxonomy of task demands which distinguishes between Task Complexity, Task Condition and Task Difficulty. We then describe three theoretical claims and predictions of the Cognition Hypothesis (Robinson 2001(Robinson , 2003b(Robinson , 2005a
The Cognition Hypothesis: Task complexity, task design and task sequencingThis special issue consists of a theoretical overview of two models of attention that have prompted extensive research into the effects of task demands on selective attention and co-ordination of attentional resources during dual and multitask performance, followed by four empirical studies examining the effects of manipulating dimensions of task complexity on; (i) the accuracy, fluency and complexity of second language (L2) speech production; (ii) the extent of interaction and uptake of premodified input occurring during task performance, and iii) learner perceptions of task difficulty. A great number of previous studies have examined the effects of one or another aspect of L2 task demands, such as the availability of planning time (see Ellis 2005), or the nature and extent of participation on tasks (see Pica, Kanagy and Falodun 1993), individually. Drawing on this, and other previous research the studies in this special issue all address the issue of task complexity in the Triadic Componential Framework (Robinson 2001(Robinson , 2005a(Robinson , 2007a which specifies component dimensions of task complexity in terms of three superordinate cognitive, interactive and learner factors in order that each dimension can be studied separately, and also that
This study explored the usefulness of dual-task methodology, selfratings, and expert judgments in assessing task-generated cognitive demands as a way to provide validity evidence for manipulations of task complexity. The participants were 96 students and 61 English as a second language (ESL) teachers. The students, 48 English native speakers and 48 ESL speakers, carried out simple and complex versions of three oral tasks-a picture narrative, a map task, and a decision-making task.Half of the students completed the tasks under a dual-task condition. The remaining half performed the tasks under a single-task condition without a secondary task. Participants in the single condition were asked to rate their perceived mental effort and task diffi culty. The ESL teachers provided expert judgments of anticipated mental effort and task diffi culty along with explanations for their ratings via an online questionnaire. As predicted, the more complex task versions were found and judged to pose greater cognitive effort on most measures.
The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of manipulating the cognitive complexity of three different types of oral tasks on interaction. The study first considers the concepts of task complexity and interaction and then examines the specific studies that have looked at the effects of increasing task complexity on conversational interaction. In the experiment, learners of English as a foreign language organized into 27 dyads carry out three different types of tasks: a narrative reconstruction task, an instruction-giving map task, and a decision-making task. Two different versions of each task (Robinson 2001a(Robinson , 2003(Robinson , 2005(Robinson , 2007bSkehan and Foster 2001), and how different task types may variously affect the way interaction proceeds during task performance.
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