Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 2, 2026
09:12
Three Laboratory Procedures for Assessing Different Manifestations of Impulsivity in Rats
Published on: March 17, 2019
An ERP study of target competition: individual differences in functional impulsive behavior.
Anna-Sophia Fritzsche1, Jutta Stahl, Henning Gibbons
1Georg-Elias-Mueller-Institute for Psychology, University of Goettingen, Germany. fritzsche@psych.uni-goettingen.de
Summary
This study reveals how functional impulsivity affects target detection. High impulsives adapt better to complex visual searches, showing early processing advantages, unlike low impulsives who experience later conflict.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Psychophysiology
Background:
- Understanding individual differences in attention and cognitive control is crucial.
- Functional impulsivity is linked to distinct behavioral and neural responses during demanding tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the electrophysiological and behavioral markers of target competition.
- Examine the relationship between these markers and individual differences in functional impulsivity.
Main Methods:
- Event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioral data were collected from 22 participants performing a modified XO task.
- Two conditions were used: target competition (multiple targets, no distractors) and distractor competition (multiple distractors, one target).
Main Results:
- Response times increased with stimulus number in both conditions.
- P2, N2, and P3 ERP components reflected target competition.
- High functional impulsives showed increased P2 for multiple targets, suggesting early adaptation.
- Low functional impulsives exhibited N2 increase, P3 decrease, and RT increase, indicating later conflict processing.
Conclusions:
- Functional impulsivity modulates cognitive control strategies during visual search.
- High impulsives demonstrate superior early target discrimination, effectively managing cognitive load.
- Low impulsives show delayed conflict resolution, impacting performance with increased stimuli.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:37Reason and Intuition
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
01:25Self-Regulation
Self-regulation, also known as self-control, encompasses a range of cognitive and behavioral processes that allow individuals to adjust their internal states and outward actions to align with socially acceptable norms and long-term goals. It plays a fundamental role in adaptive functioning, from resisting impulsive behaviors to persisting through challenging tasks. While its benefits are widely recognized, self-regulation is not limitless. Muraven and Baumeister's theory posits that...