Locus of response slowing resulting from alternation-based processing interference.

Full Abstract

In serial reaction time (RT) tasks, performance is strongly influenced by previous events. RT in Trial N is much slower after response changes than response repetitions from Trial N-2 to Trial N-1 when response-stimulus interval is short (I. Jentzsch & H. Leuthold, 2005). The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms leading to this slowing by contrasting the idea of a hard bottleneck, postponing all subsequent processing, with a selective prolonging of postperceptual stages. We analyzed the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) and peak latencies of P1, N1, and P300 components in a choice RT task mapping four stimuli to two responses. Alternation-based interference affected the S-LRP interval but neither the LRP-R interval nor the latency of P1, N1, and P300. These findings suggest that, whereas alternation-based conflict originates at response-related stages, postconflict slowing selectively affects central, premotoric processing.

Author information

Author/s: Dudschig, Carolin (C); Jentzsch, Ines (I);

Affiliation: School of Psychology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK. cd71(-atsign-)st-andrews.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Psychophysiology (Psychophysiology), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Sep; vol 45 (issue 5) : pp 751-8

Dates: Created 2008/09/19; Completed 2008/11/14;

PMID: 18665862, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.