Sequential dependencies in the Eriksen flanker task: a direct comparison of two competing accounts.
In the conflict/control loop theory proposed by Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, and Cohen (2001), conflict monitored in a trial leads to an increase in cognitive control on the subsequent trial. The critical data pattern supporting this assertion is the so-called Gratton effect--the decrease in flanker interference following incongruent trials--which was initially observed in the Eriksen flanker task. Recently, however, the validity of the idea that this pattern supports a general conflict/control mechanism has been questioned on the grounds that the Gratton effect is only observed with stimulus repetition. We present an experiment testing whether the Gratton effect reflects a stimulus-independent increase in cognitive control or stimulus-specific repetition priming. Although our results support the latter hypothesis, the priming effect is modulated by the congruency of the previous trial. We discuss a new mechanism through which monitored conflict is used to exert executive control by modulating stimulus-response associations.
Davelaar
Eddy J
EJ
School of Psychology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, England, United Kingdom. eddy.davelaar@gmail.com
Stevens
Jennifer
J
D000328:Adult; D001245:Association Learning; D001288:Attention; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012691:Serial Learning