Oscillatory Correlates of Metacontrol: Beta and Theta Band Contributions to Feedback-dependent Cognitive Adaptation

The ability to adapt to varying task demands is essential for goal-directed behavior. Cognitive control styles regulate this adaptation, with persistence reflecting high top-down control and flexibility reflecting lower control. Metacontrol facilitates the dynamic adjustment between these states based on current demands. The present study investigated short-term feedback-dependent adaptations in cognitive control style during conflict monitoring. Behavioral results demonstrated that RT feedback promoted a more persistent cognitive control style in subsequent trials, improving performance in incongruent conditions while diminishing facilitative effects in congruent conditions. On the neurophysiological level, theta-band activity primarily reflected these changes during conflict processing. Crucially, intertrial interval analyses revealed a key role of beta-band activity in using RT feedback. Correlations with behavioral congruency effects suggested that decreased beta-band activity reflected a generally more flexible control style, whereas increased beta-band activity was associated with generally greater persistence. By demonstrating that pretrial beta-band modulations reflect cognitive control dispositions, this study provides novel insights into the neural mechanisms underlying metacontrol.