title: The event-related potential effects of cognitive conflict in a Chinese character-generation task.
abstract: High-density event-related potentials were recorded to examine the electrophysiologic correlates of the evaluation of possible answers provided during a Chinese character-generation task. We examined three conditions: the character given was what participants initially generated (Consistent answer), the character given was correct (Unexpected Correct answer), or it was incorrect (Unexpected Incorrect answer). Results showed that Unexpected Correct and Incorrect answers elicited a more negative event-related potential deflection (N320) than did Consistent answers between 300 and 400 ms. Dipole source analysis of difference waves (Unexpected Correct or Incorrect minus Consistent answers) localized the generator of the N320 in the anterior cingulate cortex. The N320 therefore likely reflects the cognitive change or conflict between old and new ways of thinking while identifying and judging characters.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Qinglin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yuejia
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Qinging
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Antao
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011932:Reading