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Event‐related potentials indicate information extraction in a comparative judgement task
Author(s) -
MECKLINGER AXEL,
ULLSPERGER PETER,
MÖLLE MATTHIAS,
GRUNE KERSTIN
Publication year - 1994
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.1469-8986.1994.tb01021.x
Subject(s) - p3b , event related potential , psychology , p3a , stimulus (psychology) , judgement , late positive component , numerical digit , audiology , information processing , electroencephalography , cognitive psychology , communication , arithmetic , neuroscience , mathematics , medicine , political science , law
Event‐related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from normal subjects in a serial paired‐comparison task with the spoken digits one to five . For each digit, the subject decided whether it was smaller or larger than the preceding one. We examined to what extent ERP components are associated with the probability information each digit provides with respect to the subsequent response. Shortest reaction time (RT) and highest accuracy was obtained for the two end terms one and five . The N1 and P2 components of the ERP were attenuated for the two end terms. Three late positivities were found: early P3, P3b, and slow wave. P3b increased in amplitude the more information the eliciting digit provided with respect to the response to the subsequent digit. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between the P3b amplitude associated with information extraction and the RTs to the subsequent digit. During comparative judgement, subjects process the relative position of a stimulus within a stimulus set to extract information about the probability of a forthcoming response, and this process is reflected in P3b amplitude.