[2026/08/31]The influence of task similarity and primary task complexity on interruption effects: Evidence from behavioral performance and drift diffusion modeling

Task interruptions are prevalent in digital work environments, yet the mechanisms by which different task at tributes influence the costs of interruptions remain unclear. This study employs an n-back paradigm to systematically examine how two task attributes modulate post-interruption performance changes by manipulating primary task complexity (0–3-back) and interruption task similarity (similar vs. dissimilar). Results indicate that similarity significantly increases interruption costs, but this effect is modulated by complexity: under low complexity, similarity markedly amplifies interruption costs, whereas this effect weakens under high complexity. Stepwise Drift Diffusion Model analysis revealed that similarity primarily reduces drift rate, whereas complexity simultaneously affects both drift rate and decision threshold, revealing distinct mechanisms for these two task attributes in evidence accumulation and strategy adjustment. This study emphasizes that the disruptive impact of interruptions depends not only on timing but also on task attributes, offering important implications for man aging interruptions in complex systems.

Yuzheng Li, Weining Fang*, Chongchong Miao, Zhe Sun.The influence of task similarity and primary task complexity on interruption effects: Evidence from behavioral performance and drift diffusion modeling.International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ergon.2026.104040