An ERP study of the processing of response conflict in a dynamic localization task: the role of individual differences in task-appropriate behavior.
OBJECTIVE
The study aimed at finding specific conflict-sensitive ERP components in a novel dynamic localization task. It was investigated whether these ERP components are sensitive to individual differences in task-appropriate behavior.


METHODS
Forty-four participants performed a localization task employing three differentially conflict-inducing experimental conditions: a frequent standard condition (O=target, X=distractor), a rare conflict condition (S=target, O=distractor), and a rare control condition (S=target, X=distractor).


RESULTS
Behavioral data revealed increases of RT and error percent in the conflict condition. Early frequency-sensitive components P3a and fronto-central N2, and late conflict-sensitive components left-central N2, P3b, and CRN were observed. Two groups of participants were selected, those responding fast and accurately, and those responding slowly and inaccurately. Interestingly, the left-central N2 correlate of conflict was observed in the first group, whereas the CRN correlate was observed in the latter group.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that pre-response conflict monitoring is required to successfully complete the task, whereas post-response conflict monitoring did not seem to improve performance.


CONCLUSIONS
The present study used a novel dynamic localization task to identify ERP components that were sensitive to response conflict, but differentially predictive of good vs. poor task performance.
Fritzsche
Anna-Sophia
AS
Georg-Elias-Mueller-Institute for Psychology, University of Goettingen, Gosslerstr. 14, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany. fritzsche@psych.uni-goettingen.de
Stahl
Jutta
J
Gibbons
Henning
H
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted