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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 22, 2026

A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers

A Prediction Error-driven Retrieval Procedure for Destabilizing and Rewriting Maladaptive Reward Memories in Hazardous Drinkers

Published on: January 5, 2018

Evidence for aversive withdrawal response to own errors.

Eldad Yitzhak Hochman¹, Valery Milman¹, Liron Tal²

¹Department of Psychology and Education, The Open University of Israel, Derekh ha-Universita 1, Ra'anana 4353701, Israel.

Acta Psychologica

|September 26, 2017

Summary

Error detection triggers an avoidance reflex, causing rapid finger withdrawal. This protective behavior intensifies with greater threat and avoidance opportunities, suggesting an error-withdrawal reflex.

Keywords:

Anxiety Cognitive control Defensive responses Emotion Error detection Withdrawal reflexes

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Last Updated: Feb 22, 2026

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Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice

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Published on: June 5, 2016

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience
Behavioral Science

Background:

Error detection is theorized to activate defensive motivation and protective behaviors.
Active avoidance models predict increased avoidance with heightened threat imminence and avoidance opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate if error detection drives an avoidance reflex via rapid finger withdrawal.
To examine how threat imminence and avoidance influence this reflex.
To link error key release time (KRT) to subjective inner threat and compulsive checking.

Main Methods:

Experiment 1: Participants performed a flanker task with varying threat imminence and avoidance conditions.
Experiment 2: Assessed the relationship between error KRT, flanker effect, error correction RT, and compulsive checking.

Main Results:

Errors consistently elicited rapid key release, which accelerated with increased threat imminence and avoidance.
Error KRT was significantly associated with heightened compulsive checking tendencies, unlike flanker effect or error correction RT.

Conclusions:

Error detection appears to initiate an "error-withdrawal reflex," a rapid motor response.
This reflex is modulated by threat imminence and avoidance, and linked to compulsive checking behaviors.