title: Evaluating Cognitive Action Control Using Eye-Movement Analysis: An Oculomotor Adaptation of the Simon Task.
abstract: Cognitive action control has been extensively studied using conflict tasks such as the Simon task. In most recent studies, this process has been investigated in the light of the dual route hypothesis and more specifically of the activation-suppression model using distributional analyses. Some authors have suggested that cognitive action control assessment is not specific to response modes. In this study we adapted the Simon task, using oculomotor responses instead of manual responses, in order to evaluate whether the resolution of conflict induced by a two-dimensional stimulus yielded similar results to what is usually reported in tasks with manual responses. Results obtained from 43 young healthy participants revealed the typical congruence effect, with longer reaction times (RT) and lesser accuracy in the incongruent condition. Conditional accuracy functions (CAF) also revealed a higher proportion of fast errors in the incongruent condition and delta plots confirmed that conflict resolution was easier, as the time taken to respond increased. These results are very similar to what has been reported in the literature. Furthermore, our observations are in line with the assumptions of the activation-suppression model, in which automatic activation in conflict situations is captured in the fastest responses and selective inhibition of cognitive action control needs time to build up. Altogether, our results suggest that conflict resolution has core mechanisms whatever the response mode, manual or oculomotor. Using oculomotor responses in such tasks could be of interest when investigating cognitive action control in patients with severe motor disorders.
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Duprez
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Neurology Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Houvenaghel
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Adult Psychiatry Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France; Clinical Investigation Center (INSERM 0203), Department of Pharmacology, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naudet
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Adult Psychiatry Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dondaine
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1 Rennes, France.
authors.forename: Manon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Auffret
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Adult Psychiatry Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Robert
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Adult Psychiatry Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Drapier
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Neuroscience of Emotion and Affective Dynamics Lab, Swiss Center for Affective SciencesGeneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Soizic
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Argaud
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Neurology Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vérin
authors.affiliation: "Behavior and Basal Ganglia" Research Unit (EA 4712), University of Rennes 1Rennes, France; Neurophysiology Department, Rennes University HospitalRennes, France.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sauleau
keywords: activation-suppression; cognitive control; conflict task; distributional analysis; eye-movement