Sequential adjustments before and after partial errors.
In choice reaction time tasks, subjects speed up before making an error, but slow down afterward to prevent the occurrence of a new error. In some trials, the correct response is preceded by an incorrect electromyographic (EMG) activation too small to reach the response threshold. In this article, we show that these incorrect EMG activations give rise to the same sequential effects as overt errors: Before a trial containing an incorrect EMG activation, subjects speed up, whereas after that trial, they slow down. These activations reflect errors that have been detected, inhibited, and corrected in time. As such, they index the involvement of online executive control.
Allain
Sonia
S
Institut de Médecine Navale du Service de Santé des Armées, Toulon, France. allainsonia@hotmail.com
Burle
Boris
B
Hasbroucq
Thierry
T
Vidal
Franck
F
D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D004576:Electromyography; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D055815:Young Adult