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The error‐related negativity as a state and trait measure: Motivation, personality, and ERPs in response to errors
Author(s) -
Pailing Patricia E.,
Segalowitz Sidney J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/1469-8986.00124
Subject(s) - psychology , conscientiousness , personality , error related negativity , neuroticism , incentive , big five personality traits , trait , negativity effect , developmental psychology , social psychology , association (psychology) , cognition , extraversion and introversion , anterior cingulate cortex , economics , psychotherapist , microeconomics , neuroscience , computer science , programming language
This study examines changes in the error‐related negativity (ERN/Ne) related to motivational incentives and personality traits. ERPs were gathered while adults completed a four‐choice letter task during four motivational conditions. Monetary incentives for finger and hand accuracy were altered across motivation conditions to either be equal or favor one type of accuracy over the other in a 3:1 ratio. Larger ERN/Ne amplitudes were predicted with increased incentives, with personality moderating this effect. Results were as expected: Individuals higher on conscientiousness displayed smaller motivation‐related changes in the ERN/Ne. Similarly, those low on neuroticism had smaller effects, with the effect of Conscientiousness absent after accounting for Neuroticism. These results emphasize an emotional/evaluative function for the ERN/Ne, and suggest that the ability to selectively invest in error monitoring is moderated by underlying personality.