Conflict adaptation and sequential trial effects: Support for the conflict monitoring theory

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cognitive control process of conflict adaptation and the recruitment of cognitive control across sequential trials-termed higher-order trial effects-using the N2 and P3 components of the scalp-recorded event-related potential (ERP). High-density ERPs were obtained from 181 healthy individuals (93 female, 88 male) during a modified Eriksen flanker task. Behavioral measures (i.e., error rates, reaction times [RTs]) and N2 and P3 amplitudes showed reliable conflict adaptation (i.e., previous-trial congruencies influenced current-trial measures). Higher-order trial effects were quantified across multiple sequential presentations of congruent or incongruent trials (e.g., four consecutive incongruent trials). For higher-order trial effects, P3 amplitudes and RTs reliably decreased across both congruent and incongruent trials. Consistent with the conflict monitoring theory, N2 amplitudes decreased across incongruent trials and increased across congruent trials. N2 amplitudes were positively correlated with incongruent-trial RTs; no significant correlations were found for P3 amplitudes and RTs. Effects remained when stimulus–response repetitions were removed. Results indicate that RTs and ERP measures are sensitive to modulations of cognitive control associated with conflict across multiple congruent and incongruent trials. Implications for the conflict monitoring theory of cognitive control are discussed.