Activation of Self-Knowledge Reduces Conflict During Occupational Choice: An ERP Study

Abstract

We investigated whether the activation of self-knowledge reduces conflict during occupational choice, which can elicit many correct answers. Conflict was measured via event-related brain potentials (ERPs). Results of this study showed that activation of self-knowledge reduces conflict during occupational choice. Our results suggest that, in a situation in which two or more possible correct answers exist, people use self-knowledge as a benchmark to reduce conflict by biasing either choice of behavior.

Basic psychological needs and neurophysiological responsiveness to decisional conflict: an event-related potential study of integrative self processes

“…Such a result would be consistent with the idea that need fulfillment increases people's receptivity to and processing of events that challenge their abilities to make efficient, self-congruent choices (Deci & Ryan, 1985;Ryan et al, 1997;Weinstein et al, 2013). In the present study, we tested these hypotheses using an elaborated version the occupational choice paradigm (Di Domenico et al, 2013;Nakao et al, 2013;Nakao, Mitsumoto, et al, 2010;Nakao, Takezawa, et al, 2009).…”

“…Following best practice recommendations (Luck & Gaspelin, in press), the measurement window and electrode sites used in the present study were determined a priori on the basis of previous CN studies (Nakao et al, 2013;Nakao, Mitsumoto, et al, 2010;Nakao, Takezawa, et al, 2009). The CN was defined as the mean amplitude between 0 ms and 60 ms following the participant's response.…”

“…Support for this conflict-monitoring interpretation of the CN comes from experimental studies showing that strengthening self-knowledge inputs (i.e., increasing top-down control) prior to decision making mitigates response conflict. Specifically, Nakao and colleagues found that CN amplitudes were smaller when participants were asked to reflect upon biasing self-knowledge representations immediately before decision-making trials on the occupational choice task (Nakao, Takezawa, et al, 2009;Nakao, Mitsumoto, et al, 2010).…”

“…Indeed, in previous studies using occupational choice paradigms, Nakao and colleagues measured the degree of conflict in the moments of choice selection with the amplitude of the conflict negativity (CN), a pronounced negative deflection on EEG that appears within 60 ms of making a behavioral selection (Nakao, Bai, Nashiwa, & Northoff, 2013;Nakao, Mitsumoto, et al, 2010;Nakao, Takezawa, Shiraishi, & Miyatani, 2009). The CN is believed to be generated by a conflict-monitoring system in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a Bcortical alarm bell^that signals the need for stronger top-down inputs to more efficiently guide decision making (Nakao, Ohira, & Northoff, 2012;Nakao, Osumi et al, 2010; also see Hirsh et al, 2012).…”

“…We propose that need fulfillment amplifies people's neurophysiological responsiveness to decisional conflicts that call for the revision of old self-knowledge representations or the development of new self-knowledge representations in the service of more efficient, self-congruent choices. We hypothesize that this enhanced neurophysiological responsiveness to decision-making conflicts is evidenced by the amplitude of conflict negativity (CN), a negative deflection on electroencephalography (EEG) that occurs immediately after behavioral selections in forced-choice scenarios (Nakao, Bai, Nashiwa, & Northoff, 2013;Nakao, Mitsumoto, et al, 2010;Nakao, Takezawa, Shiraishi, & Miyatani, 2009). …”