Conflict-Frequency Affects Flanker Interference: Role of Stimulus-Ensemble-Specific Practice and Flanker-Response Contingencies

Performance in choice reaction time tasks deteriorates when an irrelevant stimulus feature is associated with an incorrect response (conflict condition). Such interference effects are reduced under conditions of increased conflict-frequency. Although models of cognitive control account for this modu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Experimental psychology 2009-01, Vol.56 (3), p.206-217
Main Authors: Wendt, Mike, Luna-Rodriguez, Aquiles
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjustment
Attention
Choice Behavior
Cognitive Processes
Conflict
Female
Human
Male
Priming
Reaction Time
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Summary:Performance in choice reaction time tasks deteriorates when an irrelevant stimulus feature is associated with an incorrect response (conflict condition). Such interference effects are reduced under conditions of increased conflict-frequency. Although models of cognitive control account for this modulation in terms of conflict-related attentional focusing on the target stimulus dimension, it is possible that the effect reflects practice with specific stimulus ensembles or stimulus feature-response contingencies. Using an Eriksen flanker task, we deconfounded the frequency of conflict trials and the frequency of specific stimulus ensembles (i.e., target-flanker conjunctions). In Experiments 1 and 2, flanker interference varied inversely with the frequency of conflict trials, irrespective of practice with specific target-flanker conjunctions, thereby disputing a stimulus ensemble learning account. In Experiment 3, however, flanker interference was reduced for specific flanker stimuli which occurred predominantly in conflict trials. Taken together, the findings are consistent with flanker-specific attentional adjustment or associative flanker-response priming.
ISSN:1618-3169
2190-5142
DOI:10.1027/1618-3169.56.3.206