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The impact of impulsivity and compulsivity on error processing in different motivational contexts
Rebecca Overmeyer1, Tanja Endrass2,3
1Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Chair for Addiction Research, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. rebecca.overmeyer@tu-dresden.de.
Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience
|March 5, 2025
Summary
Impulsivity and compulsivity are linked to heightened error-related brain activity (ERN) in reward contexts, suggesting altered performance monitoring. These traits may impair how individuals adapt their error processing to different motivational situations.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- The error-related negativity (ERN) reflects performance monitoring and is sensitive to motivation.
- ERN is altered in mental disorders characterized by impulsivity and compulsivity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the ERN and individual differences in impulsivity and compulsivity.
- To examine how motivational contexts (gain vs. loss avoidance) modulate the ERN in relation to these traits.
Main Methods:
- 221 participants performed a flanker task under gain and loss avoidance conditions.
- Error-related brain activity (ERN) and theta power were assessed.
- Single-trial regression analyzed motivational context effects and trait relations.
Main Results:
- High impulsivity and compulsivity predicted larger ERN amplitudes in the gain context, but not loss context.
- The interaction of impulsivity and compulsivity showed complex effects on ERN in the gain context.
- Lower impulsivity and compulsivity were associated with the greatest ERN difference between gain and loss trials.
Conclusions:
- Impulsivity and compulsivity are associated with increased subjective error significance in gain contexts.
- These traits may indicate deficits in adaptively regulating performance monitoring based on motivational cues.
- Exploring transdiagnostic markers like ERN is crucial for understanding performance monitoring in psychiatric conditions.
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