Validating the directional command flanker task: An auditory analog of the arrows flanker

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Auditory Neuroscience

Background:

• Flanker tasks, like the visual arrows task, are crucial for studying conflict resolution and inhibitory control.
• Existing auditory paradigms face challenges with perceptual masking, limiting their application.
• There is a need for a reliable auditory equivalent to the visual flanker task.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a speech-based auditory flanker task.
• To investigate the potential of using vocal differences to mitigate masking effects.
• To compare the auditory task's reliability and properties with the established visual arrows task.

Main Methods:

• Three auditory flanker tasks were administered to 142 participants using spoken 'left'/'right' commands and masking flankers.
• Stimuli featured increasing spectral separation between target and flanker talkers.
• A final experiment with 62 participants compared test-retest reliability with the visual arrows task.

Main Results:

• Classic conflict effects were observed in response to incongruent flankers, independent of masking.
• Increased spectral separation between talkers reduced both masking and conflict effects.
• The auditory task demonstrated comparable test-retest reliability and conflict effect patterns to the visual task.

Conclusions:

• The directional command auditory flanker task is a valid and reliable measure of inhibitory control.
• This task provides a much-needed auditory alternative to the visual arrows flanker task.
• The findings suggest the auditory task can be used to quantify inhibitory control in the auditory modality.