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The Impact of Temporal Expectation on Unconscious Inhibitory Processing: A Computational Analysis Using Hierarchical
Yongchun Wang1,2, Jinlan Cao1,2, Wandong Chen1,2
1School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China.
Multivariate Behavioral Research
|September 23, 2025
Summary
Temporal expectation enhances unconscious inhibitory control by improving cognitive monitoring and suppressing interfering stimuli. This top-down preparation strengthens the brain's ability to manage automatic responses to subliminal cues.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Motor inhibition is automatically triggered by interfering stimuli, even subliminal ones (negative compatibility effect).
- Temporal expectation involves active preparation for future events, influencing cognitive processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how temporal expectation affects unconscious inhibitory processing.
- To examine this effect in both local (trial-by-trial) and global (block-wise) expectation contexts.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral data modeling using a drift-diffusion model.
- Experiments manipulating temporal expectation and subliminal prime-induced response tendencies.
Main Results:
- Temporal expectation accelerates evidence accumulation and improves response caution.
- This acceleration was reduced when targets were consistent with prime-induced response tendencies, correlating with the compatibility effect.
Conclusions:
- Temporal expectation enhances inhibitory control over unconscious processes.
- This occurs by strengthening cognitive monitoring and suppressing subliminal activations, preventing interference.
