Slow Potential Correlates of Predictive Behaviour During a Complex Learning Task

Abstract

This chapter discusses readiness potential (RP), Contingent Negative Variation (CNV), and P300 components of the evoked response in a complex probability learning task. The chapter presents an experiment that was designed to test the hypothesis that the CNV varied directly with the expected probability of event occurrence and that the P300 varies inversely with the expected probability of event occurrence. Nine adult Ss predicted which of four possible stimuli would occur next in a first-order Markov-structured sequence. In each trial, one stimulus had a high probability of occurrence, while other stimuli had equal low probabilities. Learning was measured as the proportion of astute predictions made per unit time. Response latency was consistently shorter for Class 1 than Class 2 predictions until the final phase of the experiment at which time they were predicted with equal facility.