Neural and behavioral traces of error awareness

Kirschner, Hans; Humann, Jil; Derrfuss, Jan; Danielmeier, Claudia; Ullsperger, Markus

Abstract

Monitoring for errors and behavioral adjustments after errors are essential for daily life. A question that has not been addressed systematically yet, is whether consciously perceived errors lead to different behavioral adjustments compared to unperceived errors. Our goal was to develop a task that would enable us to study different commonly observed neural correlates of error processing and post-error adjustments in their relation to error awareness and accuracy confidence in a single experiment. We assessed performance in a new number judgement error awareness task in 70 participants. We used multiple, robust, single-trial EEG regressions to investigate the link between neural correlates of error processing (e.g., error-related negativity (ERN) and error positivity (Pe)) and error awareness. We found that only aware errors had a slowing effect on reaction times in consecutive trials, but this slowing was not accompanied by post-error increases in accuracy. On a neural level, error awareness and confidence had a modulating effect on both the ERN and Pe, whereby the Pe was most predictive of participants’ error awareness. Additionally, we found partial support for a mediating role of error awareness on the coupling between the ERN and behavioral adjustments in the following trial. Our results corroborate previous findings that show both an ERN/Pe and a post-error behavioral adaptation modulation by error awareness. This suggests that conscious error perception can support meta-control processes balancing the recruitment of proactive and reactive control. Furthermore, this study strengthens the role of the Pe as a robust neural index of error awareness.

Citation

Kirschner, H., Humann, J., Derrfuss, J., Danielmeier, C., & Ullsperger, M. (2021). Neural and behavioral traces of error awareness. Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Neuroscience, 21, 573-591. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-020-00838-w

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Sep 21, 2020
• Online Publication Date: Oct 6, 2020
• Publication Date: 2021
• Deposit Date: Oct 14, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 14, 2020
• Journal: Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience
• Print ISSN: 1530-7026
• Electronic ISSN: 1531-135X
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 21
• Pages: 573-591
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/s13415-020-00838-w
• Keywords: Cognitive Neuroscience; Behavioral Neuroscience
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4964316
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13415-020-00838-w