Elsevier

Neuropsychologia

Volume 49, Issue 7, June 2011, Pages 1953-1961
Neuropsychologia

Conflict adaptation and sequential trial effects: Support for the conflict monitoring theory

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2011.03.023Get rights and content

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive control process of conflict adaptation and the recruitment of cognitive control across sequential trials-termed higher-order trial effects-using the N2 and P3 components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP). High-density ERPs were obtained from 181 healthy individuals (93 female, 88 male) during a modified Eriksen flanker task. Behavioral measures (i.e., error rates, reaction times [RTs]) and N2 and P3 amplitudes showed reliable conflict adaptation (i.e., previous-trial congruencies influenced current-trial measures). Higher-order trial effects were quantified across multiple sequential presentations of congruent or incongruent trials (e.g., four consecutive incongruent trials). For higher-order trial effects, P3 amplitudes and RTs reliably decreased across both congruent and incongruent trials. Consistent with the conflict monitoring theory, N2 amplitudes decreased across incongruent trials and increased across congruent trials. N2 amplitudes were positively correlated with incongruent-trial RTs; no significant correlations were found for P3 amplitudes and RTs. Effects remained when stimulus–response repetitions were removed. Results indicate that RTs and ERP measures are sensitive to modulations of cognitive control associated with conflict across multiple congruent and incongruent trials. Implications for the conflict monitoring theory of cognitive control are discussed.

Highlights

► Conflict adaptation is present in the N2 and P3 components of the ERP. ► Sequential incongruent trials are associated with decreased N2 amplitudes. ► Sequential congruent trials are associated with increased N2 amplitudes. ► Results suggest adaptive changes in cognitive control resources. ► Findings are consistent with the conflict monitoring theory.

Section snippets

Participants

All participants provided written informed consent as approved by the local Institutional Review Board. Participants were recruited from undergraduate psychology courses. Exclusion criteria, assessed via participant self report, included current or previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder, psychoactive medication use, substance use or dependence, neurological disorders, head injury, left-handedness, or uncorrected visual impairment. Left-handed participants were excluded in an effort to

Behavioral

Response time and error rate data for conflict adaptation effects are presented in Table 1 and Fig. 2. A Previous-trial Congruency × Current-trial Congruency ANOVA on mean RTs revealed the significant main effects of Previous-trial Congruency, F(1,180) = 223.26, p < .001, η2p = .55, and Current-trial Congruency, F(1,180) = 3514.58, p < .001, η2p = .95. Participants generally responded faster after congruent trials than after incongruent trials and faster on congruent trials compared to incongruent trials

Discussion

The purpose of this study was to investigate the sensitivity of behavioral and electrophysiological indices of cognitive control to conflict adaptation and higher-order trial effects. Response times and error rates as well as N2 and P3 amplitudes demonstrated reliable conflict adaptation effects. Incongruent N2 and P3 amplitudes were significantly correlated with incongruent-trial RTs for conflict adaptation effects. For higher-order trial effects, congruent-trial RTs showed a linear trend

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