Evidence for a divergence between psychophysiological and behavioural measures of expectancy and prediction in a roving mismatch negativity paradigm.

Abstract

Event Abstract Back to Event Evidence for a divergence between psychophysiological and behavioural measures of expectancy and prediction in a roving mismatch negativity paradigm. Steve Provost1* and Lachlan Foster1 1 Southern Cross University, Health and Human Sciences, Australia Background: Perruchet (1985) reported that as the number of reinforced trials in an eyeblink conditioning preparation increased, participants’ expectation that the next trial would be reinforced decreased. At the same time, however, conditioned eyeblink responding was strengthened. These data are often cited as evidence for a discontinuity between explicit and implicit processes in learning. Aims: To investigate the effect of run-length on psychophysiological (MMN) and behavioural (RT) measures of expectancy. Method: An auditory “roving” MMN procedure was employed, in which each of a variety of different tones serves both as deviant (on the first trial of a sequence of trials) and as a standard (on all subsequent trials of that sequence). Sequence lengths were determined using a hazard function over short (2-3), medium (4-6) and long (7-24) runs of the same stimulus. Thirty-two channels of EEG were measured, and ERP signals were extracted from these and subject to analysis. Results: MMN measured at F4 in the 170-190ms window was a linear function of sequence length. The same was true of a component measured between 300 and 330ms post stimulus onset, although there was some evidence of a quadratic trend in the size of this component. RTs were also largely linearly related to run length, for both deviants and standards. However closer examination of individual run lengths revealed some indication of an increase in RT to standards and a decrease to deviants at long run lengths (greater than 15 trials). Conclusions: The experiment failed to provide evidence for the discontinuity described by Perruchet. However, it is possible that a change in the behavioural response occurs after a relatively large number of trials in the sequence. It may be that the run lengths chosen here were simply not long enough for this effect to be detected. This possibility warrants further attention. Keywords: mismatch negativity (MMN), eyeblink conditioning, expectancy, prediction, Explicit and implicit learning Conference: Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Inc, Coffs Harbour, Australia, 26 Nov - 28 Nov, 2014. Presentation Type: Oral Presentation Topic: Psychophysiology Citation: Provost S and Foster L (2014). Evidence for a divergence between psychophysiological and behavioural measures of expectancy and prediction in a roving mismatch negativity paradigm.. Conference Abstract: Australasian Society for Psychophysiology, Inc. doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2014.216.00003 Copyright: The abstracts in this collection have not been subject to any Frontiers peer review or checks, and are not endorsed by Frontiers. They are made available through the Frontiers publishing platform as a service to conference organizers and presenters. The copyright in the individual abstracts is owned by the author of each abstract or his/her employer unless otherwise stated. Each abstract, as well as the collection of abstracts, are published under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 (attribution) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) and may thus be reproduced, translated, adapted and be the subject of derivative works provided the authors and Frontiers are attributed. For Frontiers’ terms and conditions please see https://www.frontiersin.org/legal/terms-and-conditions. Received: 19 Nov 2014; Published Online: 02 Dec 2014. * Correspondence: Dr. Steve Provost, Southern Cross University, Health and Human Sciences, Coffs Harbour, Australia, Steve.provost@scu.edu.au Login Required This action requires you to be registered with Frontiers and logged in. To register or login click here. Abstract Info Abstract The Authors in Frontiers Steve Provost Lachlan Foster Google Steve Provost Lachlan Foster Google Scholar Steve Provost Lachlan Foster PubMed Steve Provost Lachlan Foster Related Article in Frontiers Google Scholar PubMed Abstract Close Back to top Javascript is disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser settings in order to see all the content on this page.