Cognitive control adjustments are dependent on the level of conflict

Bognar, M., Szekely, Z., Varga, M. A., Nagy, K., Spinelli, G., Hartanto, A., Majeed, N. M., Chen, N. R. Y., Gyurkovics, M. and Aczel, B. (2024) Cognitive control adjustments are dependent on the level of conflict. Scientific Reports, 14(1), 3116. (doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-53090-4) (PMID:38326342) (PMCID:PMC10850143)

Abstract

The congruency sequence effect (CSE) is one of the most investigated effects in the cognitive control literature. The conflict monitoring theory suggests that the CSE is the result of adjustments in cognitive control based on perceived conflict. A recent paper by Zhang and colleagues, has investigated whether the manipulation of conflict level by changing distractor incompatibility in a flanker task affects the amount of adjustments in cognitive control. Their study produced mixed findings, somewhat supporting the original conflict monitoring theory, but also suggesting other explanations, such as the repetition expectancy account. We replicated the experimental design in a multisite online study (N = 347), with Hungarian, Italian, and Singaporean participants. Our results supported the prediction that changes in the level of conflict trigger conflict adaptation, revealing that increasing conflict levels induced stronger adaptive control. Bayesian hypothesis testing indicated a monotonic reduction in congruency effects as a function of previous conflict strength. This finding is in line with the extension of the traditional conflict monitoring theory, as well as other theories like affective signaling and expected value of control, implying that the relationship between conflict and interference effects is gradual, rather than a binary function.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: Open access funding provided by Eötvös Loránd University. This project [134918] has been implemented with the support provided by the Ministry of Innovation and Technology of Hungary from the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund, financed under the [FK_20] funding scheme.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gyurkovics, Dr Mate

Creator Roles

Gyurkovics, M.: Writing – review and editing

• Authors: Bognar, M., Szekely, Z., Varga, M. A., Nagy, K., Spinelli, G., Hartanto, A., Majeed, N. M., Chen, N. R. Y., Gyurkovics, M., and Aczel, B.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Psychology & Neuroscience
• Journal Name: Scientific Reports
• Publisher: Nature Research
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• ISSN (Online): 2045-2322
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2024 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Scientific Reports 14(1):3116
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License