Absorbed in the task: Personality measures predict engagement during task performance as tracked by error negativity and asymmetrical frontal activity

Tops, Mattie; Boksem, Maarten A. S.

doi:10.3758/cabn.10.4.441

Cited by 76 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…The inclusion of an extensive training regime may also have exerted a more subtle effect whereby our participants were particularly susceptible to boredom due to the highly routinised nature of the task, especially during the no-incentive page 24 condition; this susceptibility was absent from the incentive condition where the prospect of performance-contingent reward enhanced motivation and imbued the task with a salience that was absent in the other condition. There is evidence from research on error-related negativity (ERN) to suggest that intrinsic motivation and boredom may interact with task salience or novelty in this way (Tjew-A-Sin et al, 2016;Tops & Boksem, 2010). The generic instructions that "good" "very good" and "excellent" performance would be rewarded may have also potentiated the influence of financial incentive.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of task demand and incentive on neurophysiological and cardiovascular markers of effort

Fairclough

Ewing

2017

International Journal of Psychophysiology

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According to motivational intensity theory, effort is proportional to the level of task demand provided that success is possible and successful performance is deemed worthwhile. The current study represents a simultaneous manipulation of demand (working memory load) and success importance (financial incentive) to investigate neurophysiological (EEG) and cardiovascular measures of effort. A 2 x 2 repeated-measures study was conducted where 18 participants performed a n-back task under three conditions of demand: easy (1-back), hard (4-back) and very hard (7-back). In addition, participants performed these tasks in the presence of performance-contingent financial incentive or in a no-incentive (pilot trial) condition.Three bands of EEG activity were quantified: theta (4-7Hz), lower-alpha (7.5-10Hz) and upper-alpha (10.5-13Hz). Fronto-medial activity in the theta band and activity in the upper-alpha band at frontal, central and parietal sites were sensitive to demand and indicated greatest effort when the task was challenging and success was possible. Mean systolic blood pressure and activity in the lower-alpha band at parietal sites were also sensitive to demand but also increased in the incentive condition across all levels of task demand. The results of the study largely support the predictions of motivational intensity using neurophysiological markers of effort. • Systolic blood pressure was sensitive to both demand and incentive page 3

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of task demand and incentive on neurophysiological and cardiovascular markers of effort

Fairclough

Ewing

2017

International Journal of Psychophysiology

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“…Unpublished results of a recent study (Tops and Boksem, 2010) in which subjects performed the Eriksen flanker task for 2.5 h, support that post-error processing may interfere with accurate next-trial performance when prolonged elaborate processing interferes with processing of the next stimulus. Over the whole group of subjects, post-error slowing was only significant in the first interval of the experiment (first 20 min), and parallel to increasing reaction times, post-error accuracy in the first intervals switched to post-error inaccuracy in the last interval (i.e., the last 20 min).…”

Section: Support For a Role Of Ifg/ai In Cognitive Controlmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…There is growing support for, and attention to, the role of IFG/AI pathways in executive functions such as post-error slowing that have so far largely been ascribed to the ACC–prefrontal cortical circuit, and recognition of the involvement of orienting responses in such functions (Tucker et al, 2003; Tops, 2004; Brass et al, 2005; Tops et al, 2006, 2010; Boksem et al, 2008; Eckert et al, 2009; Notebaert et al, 2009; Tops and Boksem, 2010, 2011; Ullsperger et al, 2010; Ide and Li, 2011). Where less then 10 years ago strong activation of the IFG/AI was regarded of no importance, and in an astonishing number of cases was reported without comment, an extraordinary convergence of evidence has since prompted authors to describe this area as the integral hub and convergence zone between networks that control behavior in low-predictable environments (Bossaerts, 2010; Craig, 2010; Menon and Uddin, 2010; Nelson et al, 2010; Tops et al, 2010; Higo et al, 2011).…”

Section: Cognitive Control In the Brainmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Potential Role of the Inferior Frontal Gyrus and Anterior Insula in Cognitive Control, Brain Rhythms, and Event-Related Potentials

Tops¹,

Boksem²

2011

Front. Psychology

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167

119

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In the present paper, we review evidence for of a model in which the inferior frontal gyrus/anterior insula (IFG/AI) area is involved in elaborate attentional and working memory processing and we present the hypothesis that this processing may take different forms and may have different effects, depending on the task at hand: (1) it may facilitate fast and accurate responding, or (2) it may cause slow responding when prolonged elaborate processing is required to increase accuracy of responding, or (3) it may interfere with accuracy and speed of next-trial (for instance, post-error) performance when prolonged elaborate processing interferes with processing of the next stimulus. We present our viewpoint that ventrolateral corticolimbic control pathways, including the IFG/AI, and mediodorsal corticolimbic control pathways, including dorsal anterior cingulate cortex areas, play partly separable, but interacting roles in adaptive behavior in environmental conditions that differ in the level of predictability: compared to dorsal feed-forward control, the ventral corticolimbic control pathways implement control over actions through higher responsiveness to momentary environmental stimuli. This latter control mode is associated with an attentional focus on stimuli that are urgent or close in time and space, while the former control mode is associated with a broader, more global focus in time and space. Both control pathways have developed extensively through evolution, and both developed their own “cognitive controls,” such that neither one can be properly described as purely “cognitive” or “emotional.” We discuss literature that suggests that the role of IFG/AI in top-down control is reflected in cortical rhythms and event-related potentials. Together, the literature suggests that the IFG/AI is an important node in brain networks that control cognitive and emotional processing and behavior.

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“…The trait of “high drive for reward,” which is related to positive emotionality and has been linked to dopamine function (Depue et al 1994), is associated with greater ERN (Tops and Boksem 2010), but paradoxically, negative emotionality also appears to be associated with greater ERN, perhaps through alternate cognitive mechanisms such as fear of social evaluation (Tops and Boksem 2010). Constraint, which is the inverse of impulsivity, is also implicated in both dopaminergic functioning and affects ERN/post-error slowing (Tops and Boksem 2010). Thus, we examined relationships between a comprehensive measure of personality and post-error slowing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of d-amphetamine on post-error slowing in healthy volunteers

2011

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Rationale Post-error slowing has long been considered a sign of healthy error detection and an important component of cognitive function. However, the neuropharmacological processes underlying post-error slowing are poorly understood. Objectives This study investigated the effect of the dopamine agonist d-amphetamine on post-error slowing and secondarily, the potential mediator of drug-induced euphoria and potential moderators of personality and baseline task performance. Methods Healthy male and female participants (N=110) completed four study sessions, at which d-amphetamine (placebo 5, 10, 20 mg) was administered under double-blind, counter-balanced conditions. At each session, participants completed subjective drug effect assessments and a working memory task (N-back) to measure post-error slowing. They completed the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) during screening. Results Amphetamine (20 mg) reduced post-error slowing, consistent with a dampened behavioral reactivity to errors. This was not related to drug-induced euphoria. Although higher scores on MPQ constraint were related to less post-error slowing under placebo conditions, neither personality nor baseline cognitive performance moderated the effects of amphetamine on post-error slowing. Conclusions The finding that amphetamine reduced post-error slowing supports the idea that dopamine plays a role in error stimulus processing. The finding is discussed in relation to an existing literature on the mechanisms and function of behavioral and electrophysiological indices of error sensitivity.

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Absorbed in the task: Personality measures predict engagement during task performance as tracked by error negativity and asymmetrical frontal activity

Cited by 76 publications

References 79 publications

The effect of task demand and incentive on neurophysiological and cardiovascular markers of effort

The effect of task demand and incentive on neurophysiological and cardiovascular markers of effort

A Potential Role of the Inferior Frontal Gyrus and Anterior Insula in Cognitive Control, Brain Rhythms, and Event-Related Potentials

Effect of d-amphetamine on post-error slowing in healthy volunteers

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