Decision processes in human performance monitoring

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Error processing is vital for goal-directed behavior.
• Human error detection involves event-related potentials: error-related negativity (Ne/ERN) and error positivity (Pe).
• The precise functional roles of Ne/ERN and Pe remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the functional significance of Ne/ERN and Pe in error detection.
• To model error detection as a decision process with distinct evidence accumulation and decision stages.
• To test if the error positivity (Pe) reflects accumulated evidence based on internal criteria.

Main Methods:

• A brightness discrimination task where participants signaled errors.
• Manipulation of incentives to alter participants' criteria for signaling errors.
• Analysis of event-related potentials (Ne/ERN and Pe) and behavioral data using signal detection theory and machine learning.

Main Results:

• The error-related negativity (Ne/ERN) was not affected by criterion changes.
• The error positivity (Pe) amplitude increased with a higher criterion for signaling errors.
• Pe amplitude predicted behavioral criterion changes and individual error signaling responses.

Conclusions:

• The error positivity (Pe) appears to be closely related to error detection, reflecting the strength of accumulated evidence.
• The error-related negativity (Ne/ERN) is less directly involved in the evidence accumulation stage of error detection.
• This study clarifies the distinct roles of Pe and Ne/ERN in human error processing.