Disentangling the impacts of outcome valence and outcome frequency on the post-error slowing.

Lijun Wang,Dandan Tang,Yuanfang Zhao,Antao Chen,Glenn Hitchman,Shanshan Wu,Jinfeng Tan

doi:10.1038/srep08708

Abstract

Post-error slowing (PES) reflects efficient outcome monitoring, manifested as slower reaction time after errors. Cognitive control account assumes that PES depends on error information, whereas orienting account posits that it depends on error frequency. This raises the question how the outcome valence and outcome frequency separably influence the generation of PES. To address this issue, we varied the probability of observation errors (50/50 and 20/80, correct/error) the “partner” committed by employing an observation-execution task and investigated the corresponding behavioral and neural effects. On each trial, participants first viewed the outcome of a flanker-run that was supposedly performed by a ‘partner’, and then performed a flanker-run themselves afterwards. We observed PES in the two error rate conditions. However, electroencephalographic data suggested error-related potentials (oERN and oPe) and rhythmic oscillation associated with attentional process (alpha band) were respectively sensitive to outcome valence and outcome frequency. Importantly, oERN amplitude was positively correlated with PES. Taken together, these findings support the assumption of the cognitive control account, suggesting that outcome valence and outcome frequency are both involved in PES. Moreover, the generation of PES is indexed by oERN, whereas the modulation of PES size could be reflected on the alpha band.

Highlights

Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
These findings support the assumption of the cognitive control account, suggesting that outcome valence and outcome frequency are both involved in Post-error slowing (PES)
The results showed that the average of the regression coefficients for the observer Pe (oPe) (20.004 6 0.015; t23 5 21.34, p 5 0.193) and the alpha (20.08 6 0.23; t23 5 21.71, p 5 0.101) did not significantly differ from zero, whereas for the observer ERN (oERN) (0.006 6 0.015; t23 5 1.95, p 5 0.043), the result showed a significant positive correlation between oERN amplitude and PES, which confirmed that increased oERN amplitude predicted increased reaction time (RT) of post-error trials

Summary

Introduction

Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality of Ministry of Education, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China. Cognitive control account assumes that PES depends on error information, whereas orienting account posits that it depends on error frequency This raises the question how the outcome valence and outcome frequency separably influence the generation of PES. OERN amplitude was positively correlated with PES Taken together, these findings support the assumption of the cognitive control account, suggesting that outcome valence and outcome frequency are both involved in PES. Since errors usually occur at a low probability in the daily life, even in the laboratory environment, a number of studies have provided converging evidence that monitoring one’s own and other’s performance shares a common neural circuit[9,10,11,12,13].

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