scholarly journals A low-level perceptual correlate of behavioral and clinical deficits in ADHD

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andra Mihali ◽  
Allison G Young ◽  
Lenard A. Adler ◽  
Michael M. Halassa ◽  
Wei Ji Ma
Keyword(s):  
Executive Function ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Executive Processes ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Trial Basis ◽  
Perceptual Variability ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Task Irrelevant

AbstractIn many studies of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), stimulus encoding and processing (per-ceptual function) and response selection (executive function) have been intertwined. To dissociate deficits in these functions, we introduced a task that parametrically varied low-level stimulus features (orientation and color) for fine-grained analysis of perceptual function. It also required participants to switch their attention between feature dimensions on a trial-by-trial basis, thus taxing executive processes. Furthermore, we used a response paradigm that captured task-irrelevant motor output (TIMO), reflecting failures to use the correct stimulus-response rule. ADHD participants had substantially higher perceptual variability than Controls, especially for orientation, as well as higher TIMO. In both ADHD and Controls, TIMO was strongly affected by the switch manipulation. Across participants, the perceptual variability parameter was correlated with TIMO, suggesting that perceptual deficits are associated with executive function deficits. Based on perceptual variability alone, we were able to classify participants into ADHD and Controls with a mean accuracy of about 77%. Participants’ self-reported General Executive Composite score correlated not only with TIMO but also with the perceptual variability parameter. Our results highlight the role of perceptual deficits in ADHD and the usefulness of computational modeling of behavior in dissociating perceptual from executive processes.

Associative Attitude Learning: A Closer Look at Evidence and How It Relates to Attitude Models

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivier Corneille ◽  
Christoph Stahl
Keyword(s):  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Attitude Formation ◽  
Present Contribution ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Attitude Learning ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Level Process

Associative attitude learning is typically viewed as a low-level process that automatically registers mere co-occurrences between stimuli, independent of their validity and relational meaning. This view invites to critically examine how attitude formation conforms to four operating conditions (i.e., unawareness, efficiency, goal independence, and uncontrollability) and two operating principles (i.e., unqualified registration of mere co-occurrences between stimuli and formation of direct stimulus–response links), which is the main purpose of the present contribution. The general discussion examines how contemporary attitude models endorse these conditions and principles. Overall, this contribution calls for (a) a nuanced understanding of the nature and scope of associative attitude learning, (b) a fine-grained understanding of how contemporary attitude models endorse conditions and principles reviewed here and find them relevant to their theorization of attitude formation, (c) a clarification of how direct and indirect evaluative measures relate to these conditions and principles, and (d) enhanced efforts in specifying contemporary attitude formation models.

scholarly journals Cognitive control in bilinguals: Advantages in Stimulus–Stimulus inhibition

2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 610-629 ◽  
Author(s):  
HENRIKE K. BLUMENFELD ◽  
VIORICA MARIAN
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Control ◽  
Language Processing ◽  
Stroop Task ◽  
Simon Task ◽  
Irrelevant Information ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Task Irrelevant ◽  
Language Profiles

Bilinguals have been shown to outperform monolinguals at suppressing task-irrelevant information and on overall speed during cognitive control tasks. Here, monolinguals’ and bilinguals’ performance was compared on two nonlinguistic tasks: a Stroop task (with perceptualStimulus–Stimulus conflictamong stimulus features) and a Simon task (withStimulus–Response conflict). Across two experiments testing bilinguals with different language profiles, bilinguals showed more efficient Stroop than Simon performance, relative to monolinguals, who showed fewer differences across the two tasks. Findings suggest that bilingualism may engage Stroop-type cognitive control mechanisms more than Simon-type mechanisms, likely due to increased Stimulus–Stimulus conflict during bilingual language processing. Findings are discussed in light of previous research on bilingual Stroop and Simon performance.

scholarly journals Effects of stimulus features and instruction on response coding, selection, and inhibition: Evidence from repetition effects under task switching

2008 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1573-1600 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michel D. Druey ◽  
Ronald Hübner
Keyword(s):  
Task Switching ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Middle Finger ◽  
Task Switch ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Repetition Effects ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Feature Overlap ◽  
Response Coding

The coding of stimuli and responses is crucial for human behaviour. Here, we focused primarily on the response codes (or response categories). As a method, we applied a combined dual-task and task-switch paradigm with a fixed task-to-hand mapping. Usually, negative effects (i.e., costs) are observed for response category repetitions under task switching. However, in several previous studies it has been proposed that such repetition effects do not occur, if the stimulus categories (e.g., “odd” if digits have to be classified according to their parity feature) are unequivocally mapped to specific responses. Our aim was to test this hypothesis. In the present experiments, we were able to distinguish between three different types of possible response codes. The results show that the participants generally code their responses according to abstract response features (left/right, or index/middle finger). Moreover, the spatial codes were preferred over the finger-type codes even if the instructions stressed the latter. This preference, though, seemed to result from a stimulus–response feature overlap, so that the spatial response categories were primed by the respective stimulus features. If there was no such overlap, the instructions determined which type of response code was involved in response selection and inhibition.

Auditory Warning Signals Affect Mechanisms of Response Selection

2010 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rico Fischer ◽  
Franziska Plessow ◽  
Andrea Kiesel
Keyword(s):  
Selective Attention ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Relevant Stimulus ◽  
Attention Task ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Spatial Stimulus ◽  
Direct Route ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Indirect Route

Irrelevant tone (accessory) stimuli facilitate performance in simple and choice reaction time tasks. In the present study, we combined accessory stimulation with a selective attention paradigm in order to investigate its influence on mechanisms of response selection. In the framework of a spatial stimulus-response compatibility task (Simon task), we tested whether accessory stimuli selectively affect bottom up triggered response activation processes (e.g., direct route processing), processing of task-relevant stimulus features (indirect route processing), or both/none. Results suggest a two-component effect of accessory stimuli within this selective attention task. First, accessory stimuli increased the Simon effect due to beneficial direct route processing. Second, accessory stimuli generally decreased reaction times indicating facilitation of indirect route processing.

Hierarchical Task Representation

2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 449-454 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric H. Schumacher ◽  
Eliot Hazeltine
Keyword(s):  
Human Behavior ◽  
Experimental Research ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Action Selection ◽  
Task Representation ◽  
Alternative Framework ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Discrete Responses ◽  
Multiple Levels ◽  
Stimulus Features

Human behavior is remarkably complex—even during the performance of relatively simple tasks—yet it is often assumed that learned associations between stimuli and responses provide the representational substrate for action selection. Here, we introduce an alternative framework, called a task file, that includes hierarchical associations between stimulus features, response features, goals, and drives, which may overcome the limitations inherent in the conceptualization of response selection as being based solely on associations between stimuli and responses. We then review evidence from our own experimental research showing that even in the context of performing relatively easy tasks, the stimulus-response-association approach to response selection is inadequate to account for the interactions between discrete responses. Instead, response selection may emerge from competition between linked representations at multiple levels.

A Simon effect for stimulus-response duration

2002 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 581-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfried Kunde ◽  
Christian Stöcker
Keyword(s):  
Simon Effect ◽  
Response Duration ◽  
Irrelevant Stimulus ◽  
Presentation Duration ◽  
Independent Manner ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Correspondence Effects ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Single Response ◽  
Task Irrelevant

A non-spatial variant of the Simon effect for the stimulus-response (S-R) feature of duration is reported. In Experiment 1 subjects were required to press a single response key either briefly or longer in response to the colour of a visual stimulus that varied in its presentation duration. Short keypresses were initiated faster with short than with long stimulus duration whereas the inverse was observed with long keypresses. In Experiment 2 subjects were required to press a left or right key (according to stimulus form) either briefly or longer (according to stimulus colour). The stimuli concurrently varied in their location (left or right) and duration (short or long), which were both task irrelevant. Approximately additive correspondence effects for S-R location and S-R duration were observed. To summarize, the results suggest that the irrelevant stimulus features of location and duration are processed automatically and prime corresponding responses in an independent manner.

scholarly journals Goal-Based Binding of Irrelevant Stimulus Features for Action Slips

2021 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 206-213
Author(s):  
Anna Foerster ◽  
Klaus Rothermund ◽  
Juhi Jayesh Parmar ◽  
Birte Moeller ◽  
Christian Frings ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Irrelevant Stimulus ◽  
Action Control ◽  
Alternative Interpretation ◽  
Concurrent Task ◽  
Cognitive System ◽  
Response Mapping ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
The Future ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Task Irrelevant

Abstract. Binding between representations of stimuli and actions and later retrieval of these compounds provide efficient shortcuts in action control. Recent observations indicate that these mechanisms are not only effective when action episodes go as planned, but they also seem to be at play when actions go awry. Moreover, the human cognitive system even corrects traces of error commission on the fly because it binds the intended but not actually executed response to concurrent task-relevant stimuli, thus enabling retrieval of a correct, but not actually executed response when encountering the stimulus again. However, a plausible alternative interpretation of this finding is that error commission triggers selective strengthening of the instructed stimulus–response mapping instead, thus promoting its efficient application in the future. The experiment presented here makes an unequivocal case for episodic binding and retrieval in erroneous action episodes by showing binding between task-irrelevant stimuli and correct responses.

scholarly journals Parsing the Flanker task to reveal behavioral and oscillatory correlates of unattended conflict interference

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcella Brunetti ◽  
Filippo Zappasodi ◽  
Pierpaolo Croce ◽  
Rosalia Di Matteo
Keyword(s):  
Response Selection ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Event Related Potential ◽  
Oscillatory Activity ◽  
Activity Data ◽  
Intrinsic Nature ◽  
Conflict Processing ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Stimulus Features ◽  
Stimulus Identification

Abstract Stimulus-Response conflict is generated by an overlap between stimulus and response dimensions, but the intrinsic nature of this interaction is not yet deeply clarified. In this study, using a modified Eriksen flanker task, we have investigated how flankers have to be incongruent to target in order to produce an interference and whether and how this interference interacts with the one produced by Stimulus features overlap. To these aims, an Eriksen-like task employing oriented hands\arrows has been designed to distinguish between two types of Stimulus-Response (S-R) interferences: one derived by a short-term association and one based on automatic processes. Stimulus-Stimulus (S-S) conflict has been also included in the same factorial design. Behavioral, Event Related Potential (ERP) and oscillatory activity data have been measured. Results revealed distinct S-S and automatic S-R effects on behavioral performance. ERP and Theta band power modulation results suggested an early frontal S-S conflict processing followed by a posterior simultaneous S-S and automatic S-R conflict processing. These findings provide evidence that, in presence of different conflicts, the sequence of stimulus identification and response selection could not move forward in a linear serial direction, but it may involve further effort, mirrored in posterior late components and response time prolongation.

A Matter of Perspective: How adults represent causal launching sequences

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deon T. Benton ◽  
David H. Rakison
Keyword(s):  
Specific Mechanism ◽  
Associative Mechanism ◽  
Low Level ◽  
Domain Specific ◽  
The World ◽  
Modular Domain ◽  
Stimulus Features

The ability to reason about causal events in the world is fundamental to cognition. Despite the importance of this ability, little is known about how adults represent causal events, what structure or form those representations take, and what the mechanism is that underpins such representations. We report four experiments with adults that examine the perceptual basis on which adults represent four-object launching sequences (Experiments 1 and 2), whether adults representations reflect sensitivity to the causal, perceptual, or causal and perceptual relation among the objects that comprise such sequences (Experiment 3), and whether such representations extend beyond spatiotemporal contiguity to include other low-level stimulus features such as an object’s shape and color (Experiment 4). Based on these results of the four experiments, we argue that a domain-general associative mechanism, rather a modular, domain-specific, mechanism subserves adults’ representations of four-object launching sequences.

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