Response conflict and inhibition: Electrophysiological indices elicited during a modified flanker task
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1
The University of Western Australia, Australia
Background: Previous research has interpreted enhancement of the N2 component of the event-related potential (ERP) as an electrophysiological index of the processes associated with response inhibition. Alternatively, it has been proposed that the functional significance of this component is related more broadly to the detection of conflict induced by simultaneously activated response alternatives, signaling the need for increased cognitive control to achieve optimal performance. The aim of the current study was to examine whether modifying the response conflict and inhibitory demands of a task would modulate the amplitude of the N2 elicited by the processing of visual stimuli.
Methods: Fifteen adults (age range 20 – 37 years, 5 males/10 females) completed the study. The electroencephalograph (EEG) was recorded continuously while participants completed a modified hybrid flanker-Nogo task in which target and flanking stimuli were either congruent or incongruent. On 25% of trials, stimuli were presented in a different colour, and participants were required to respond with either the competing response alternative (reversed condition) or to inhibit their response (inhibition condition).
Results: Accuracy was lower and responses were slower following presentation of the incongruous and reversed stimuli relative to the congruous stimuli. The negative amplitude enhancement following presentation of stimuli that required competing responses was greater than following presentation of stimuli that required the inhibition of responses.
Discussion: Behavioural results indicated that the simultaneous presentation of competing information interfered with task performance, as expected. Electrophysiological results indicated that the N2 enhancement was associated with response conflict rather than response inhibition, consistent with the cognitive conflict-control loop model of anterior cingulate cortex function.
Keywords:
response conflict,
cognitive control,
ERP,
inhibition,
N2
Conference:
ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference, Clayton, Melbourne, Australia, 28 Nov - 1 Dec, 2013.
Presentation Type:
Oral
Topic:
Executive Processes
Citation:
Fox
A,
Connaughton
V,
Bothma
V,
Clunies-Ross
K and
Amiruddin
A
(2013). Response conflict and inhibition: Electrophysiological indices elicited during a modified flanker task.
Conference Abstract:
ACNS-2013 Australasian Cognitive Neuroscience Society Conference.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2013.212.00013
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Received:
25 Oct 2013;
Published Online:
25 Nov 2013.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Allison Fox, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia, allison.fox@uwa.edu.au