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Conflict adaptation effects in the absence of executive control

Nature Neuroscience volume 6, pages 450–452 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

According to the 'conflict-monitoring' model, a leading theory of cognitive control1,2,3,4, information-processing conflict registered in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) triggers the prefrontal cortex to reduce conflict susceptibility. Here we show that the existing empirical support for an online modulation of susceptibility to conflict through immediately preceding conflict, the 'conflict-adaptation effect'1,5, needs to be reevaluated. In a human cognitive control task, we found that it was not the stimulus-independent level of conflict that was responsible for the conflict-adaptation effect but rather an episodic memory phenomenon: stimulus-specific priming6.

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Figure 1: Critical trial-to-trial transitions in the flanker task.
Figure 2: Mean response times and error percentages as a function of conflict on trial n and conflict on trial n − 1, broken down by the target/response repetition factor plus F-statistics for each relevant conflict-adaptation interaction.
Figure 3: Mean response times and error percentages as a function of trial n − 1 conflict and trial n conflict (left) and as a function of trial n − 2 conflict, trial n conflict and n − 2 response repetitions (right).

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Acknowledgements

Supported by National Institute of Aging R01 AG19296-01A1 (to U.M.) and National Institute of Mental Health R01 MH64119 (to E.A.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, 97403, Oregon, USA

    Ulrich Mayr, Edward Awh & Paul Laurey

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  1. Ulrich Mayr
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  2. Edward Awh
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  3. Paul Laurey
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Correspondence to Ulrich Mayr.

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Mayr, U., Awh, E. & Laurey, P. Conflict adaptation effects in the absence of executive control. Nat Neurosci 6, 450–452 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1051

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