City Research Online

Abstract

To investigate the basis of crossmodal visual distractor congruency effects we recorded event-related brain potentials (ERP) while participants performed a tactile location discrimination task. Participants made speeded tactile location discrimination responses to tactile targets presented to the index fingers or thumbs while ignoring simultaneously presented task-irrelevant visual distractor stimuli at either the same (congruent) or a different (incongruent) location. Behavioural results were in line with previous studies showing slowed response times and increased error rates on incongruent compared to congruent visual distractor trials. To clarify the effect of visual distractors on tactile processing, concurrently recorded ERPs were analysed for post-stimulus, pre-response and post-response modulations. An enhanced negativity was found in the time range of the N2 component on incongruent compared to congruent visual distractor trials prior to correct responses. In addition, post-response ERPs showed the presence of ERN components on incorrect response trials and enhanced negativity for congruent-incorrect compared to incongruent-incorrect trials. This pattern of ERP results has previously been related to response conflict (Yeung, Cohen, & Botvinick, 2004). Importantly, no modulation of early somatosensory ERPs was present prior to the N2 time range, which may have suggested the contribution of other perceptual or post-perceptual processes to crossmodal congruency effects. Taken together, our results suggest that crossmodal visual distractor effects are largely due to response conflict.

Publication Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/CABN.8.1.65
Publisher Keywords:	Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Behavioral Sciences, Neurosciences, Neurosciences & Neurology, BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, NEUROSCIENCES, SOMATOSENSORY-EVOKED-POTENTIALS, TACTILE-SPATIAL ATTENTION, ERROR-DETECTION, ERP COMPONENTS, NEURAL SYSTEM, HAND POSTURE, COMPENSATION, MODULATIONS, INTEGRATION, NEGATIVITY
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Departments:	School of Health & Psychological Sciences > Psychology
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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