The application of jackknife-based onset detection of lateralized readiness potential in correlative approaches

The onset of the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) represents an interesting parameter within mental chronometry. According to Miller, Patterson, and Ulrich (1998), reliability increases when LRP onsets are detected in jackknifed LRP waveforms. Until now, jackknifed LRP onsets could be analyzed in factorial designs only. The aim of the present study was to extend the application of jackknifing to correlative approaches (e.g., in personality research). Using different onset scoring techniques, in several simulations run on realistic LRP data jackknifing and single-subject procedures were compared regarding their estimates of a simulated true correlation. For all scoring techniques but regression, jackknifed coefficients were on average higher than the respective single-subject coefficients, and statistical power was higher. Overall, combining jackknifing with a 50%-relative onset criterion is recommended.