Different Stages, Different Signals: The Modulating Effect of Cognitive Conflict on Subsequent Processing

<div><p>The present study used event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate the function of signals induced by cognitive conflict during the detection stage and the resolution stage of perceptual processing. The study used a combination of the Stroop task and an affective priming task to examine the conflict priming effect when the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) was 200 ms or 800 ms. Behavioral results showed that the RTs were shorter for positive targets following congruent primes relative to incongruent primes, and for negative targets following incongruent primes relative to congruent primes when the SOA was 200 ms. ERP results showed that the N2 amplitudes (200–300 ms) for incongruent stimuli were significantly larger than for congruent stimuli in the Stroop task, which indicated a significant conflict effect. Moreover, the N400 amplitudes (500–700 ms) for positive targets after congruent primes were significantly lower than those after incongruent primes when the SOA was 200 ms, which showed a significant negative priming effect. While the SOA was 800 ms, behavioral results showed that the RTs were shorter for positive targets following incongruent primes relative to congruent primes. ERP results showed that the N2 amplitudes (200–300 ms) for incongruent stimuli were significantly larger than for congruent stimuli in the Stroop task, which indicated a significant conflict effect. The N400 amplitudes (1100–1300 ms) for the negative targets after congruent primes were significantly lower than those after incongruent primes when the SOA was 800 ms, which showed a significant positive priming effect. The results demonstrated that the functions of signals induced by cognitive conflict were reversed in two different cognitive processing stages.</p></div

The average ERPs at Cz and FCz for congruent prime and incongruent prime conditions in Stroop effect (SOA = 800ms).

<p>Red line represents incongruent prime condition and black line represents congruent prime condition.</p

Associations between different indicators and hair cortisol level or saliva cortisol reactivity.

<p>Associations between different indicators and hair cortisol level or saliva cortisol reactivity.</p

Mean RTs as a function of Prime Congruence and Target Valence (SOA = 800 ms).

<p>Red bar refers to negative target and black bar refers to positive target.</p

The average ERPs at Cz and CPz for CP (congruent—positive), CN (congruent—negative), IP (incongruent—positive) and IN (incongruent—negative) conditions in priming effect (SOA = 800ms).

<p>Red line refers to positive target after congruent prime condition; red dashed line refers to negative target after congruent prime condition; black line refers to positive target after incongruent prime condition and black dashed line refers to negative target after incongruent prime condition.</p

Mean RTs as a function of Prime Congruence and Target Valence (SOA = 200 ms).

<p>Red bar refers to negative target and black bar refers to positive target.</p

Association between measures of internalizing symptoms and hair cortisol or saliva cortisol reactivity by genders.

<p>Association between measures of internalizing symptoms and hair cortisol or saliva cortisol reactivity by genders.</p