N200 in the flanker task as a neurobehavioral tool for investigating executive control.

Examined response activation and inhibition in 18 Ss (mean age 33 yrs) to study executive control in a flanker task. Arrowheads pointing to the left or right served as targets and as congruent or incongruent flanker stimuli, using squares as neutral flanker stimuli. The onset of the flanker stimuli preceded that of the target stimuli by 100 msec. Motor responses were assessed by means of 2 analog devices. The EEG and electrooculogram (EOG) recordings were used for data analyses. Flanker compatibility exerted facilitative and interfering effects on performance. Increased spatial distance between target and flanker stimuli attenuated flanker compatibility effects on response times and error scores. Incongruent flanker condition provoked a N2c amplitude, which covaried with the magnitude of the erroneous response. The N2c, thus, corresponded to the avoidance of inappropriate responses, reflecting the inhibition of automatically but erroneously primed responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Accession Number: 1996-04101-008. PMID: 8936397 Partial author list: First Author & Affiliation: Kopp, Bruno; Humboldt U, Dept of Psychology, Berlin, Germany. Other Publishers: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Release Date: 19960101. Publication Type: Journal (0100), Peer Reviewed Journal (0110). Format Covered: Print. Document Type: Journal Article. Language: English. Major Descriptor: Cognitive Processes; Evoked Potentials; Response Parameters. Classification: Electrophysiology (2530). Population: Human (10). Age Group: Adulthood (18 yrs & older) (300). Methodology: Empirical Study. Page Count: 13. Issue Publication Date: May, 1996.