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Multiple Sources of P3b Associated with Different Types of Information
Author(s) -
Ruchkin Daniel S.,
Johnson Ray,
Canoune Howard L.,
Ritter Walter,
Hammer Muriel
Publication year - 1990
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/j.1469-8986.1990.tb00367.x
Subject(s) - p3b , p3a , psychology , cognitive psychology , outcome (game theory) , correctness , task (project management) , computer science , electroencephalography , event related potential , neuroscience , algorithm , mathematics , management , mathematical economics , economics
This experiment investigated how the P3a, P3b, and Slow Wave components of the event‐related brain potential (ERP) respond to manipulations of the nature, timing, and extent of information delivery. There were two experiments in which the total amount of task information was distributed between pairs of successive stimuli (S 1 and S 2 ) within each trial. The task was to predict the relation between S 1 and S 2 . In Experiment 1, the S 1 could resolve no, partial, or all uncertainty with respect to the prediction outcome (correct or incorrect). Each S 1 delivered three types of information: 1) outcome information–which resolved the subjects' uncertainty about the correctness of their prediction: 2) procedural information–which resolved uncertainty about how much outcome information would be delivered by S 1 ; and 3 ) memory information–the identity of S 1 , which had to be stored for subsequent comparison with S 2 . In Experiment 2, the activity of these components was contrasted in two conditions in which the S 1 delivered either memory information alone or both memory and procedural information. P3a and Slow Wave were sensitive only to outcome information. P3b was sensitive to all three types of information, and its scalp topography varied as a function of the type of information. The topographic variations indicate that P3b is not a unitary phenomenon but rather is a composite of activity arising from multiple intracranial sources of bioelectric activity.