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The Difficulty in Numerical Computation Impacts Motor Decisions in a Stop-Signal Task
Isabel Beatrice Marc1, Valentina Giuffrida1,2, Mariella Segreti1,2
1Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
The European Journal of Neuroscience
|February 4, 2026
Summary
Cognitive difficulty, measured by numerical distance (ND), impacts decision-making. Easier numerical comparisons improve response speed and accuracy, enhancing both movement initiation and inhibition.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Decision Science
Background:
- Effective decision-making relies on accurate environmental information interpretation.
- Cognitive burden from complex interpretation can impede decision processes.
- Numerical distance (ND) quantifies cognitive demand in numerical comparisons.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate how numerical distance (ND) influences movement initiation and inhibition.
- Examine the impact of cognitive demand on motor control and decision-making.
- Elucidate the relationship between cognitive processing and motor responses.
Main Methods:
- A novel numerical comparison stop-signal task (NC-SST) was developed.
- 32 participants performed trials with varying ND for Go and Stop signals.
- Generalized drift-diffusion and linear mixed-effects models were employed.
Main Results:
- Larger NDs (easier comparisons) led to faster, more accurate responses and better stopping performance.
- Drift rates increased with Go ND and were influenced by spatial numerical associations.
- Go process parameters, especially drift rate, predicted successful stopping, interacting with Stop ND and stop-signal delay (SSD).
Conclusions:
- Increased cognitive difficulty impairs both movement initiation and inhibition.
- Motor decisions integrate cognitive information with perceptual features.
- Findings extend the classical race model by incorporating cognitive-perceptual integration.
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