Neural traces of composite tasks in complex task representation in the human brain reflects learning performance

Task knowledge can be encoded hierarchically such that complex tasks can be built by associating simpler tasks. This associative organization supports generalization to facilitate learning of related but novel complex tasks. To study how the brain implements generalization in hierarchical task learning, we trained human participants on two complex tasks that shared a simple task and tested them on novel complex tasks whose association could be inferred via the shared simple task. Behaviorally, we observed faster learning of the novel complex tasks than control tasks. Using electroencephalogram (EEG) data, we decoded constituent simple tasks when performing a complex task (i.e., EEG association effect). Crucially, the shared simple task, although not part of the novel complex task, could be reliably decoded from the novel complex task. This decoding strength was correlated with the EEG association effect and the behavioral generalization effect. The findings demonstrate how task learning can be accelerated by associative inference.