Definitionv1
Context switching: the cognitive process of transitioning
Context switching: the cognitive process of transitioning from one task set to another, involving the inhibition of the current task's cognitive configuration and activation of the new task's cognitive configuration, which consumes executive function and leaves behind attention residue that contaminates subsequent cognitive performance
Why This Is a Definition
This definition precisely establishes the semantic boundary of 'context switching' by identifying its genus (cognitive process) and differentia (inhibition/activation of task sets with executive function consumption and attention residue). It distinguishes context switching from multitasking and explains the neurologically grounded mechanism behind the phenomenon, making it a precise definition rather than a claim or advice.