Skip to main content

The elusive link between conflict and conflict adaptation

Psychological Research PRPF volume 73, pages 794–802 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

A core tenet of the original conflict-monitoring model is that regulation is triggered automatically when conflict is present and that the same regulation mechanism explains both trial-to-trial adaptation effects as well as effects of block-wise conflict manipulations. We present here results from two experiments using the Stroop task that show (a) that adaptation effects in the absence of response repetitions may occur only at the beginning of testing and that (b) robust block-wise effects can be found even in the absence of trial-by-trial effects. Furthermore, we show that the failure to eliminate target-to-distractor repetitions can produce artificial trial-to-trial adaptation effects. Based on the evidence of a weak link between conflict and conflict adaptation, we argue that a wider range of possible reasons for conflict adaptation effects needs to be taken into consideration.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

References

  • Awh, E., Sgarlata, A. M., & Kliestik, J. (2005). Resolving visual interference during covert spatial orienting: online attentional control through static records of prior visual experience. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 134(2), 192–206.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botvinick, M. M., Braver, T. S., Barch, D. M., Carter, C. S., & Cohen, J. D. (2001). Conflict monitoring and cognitive control. Psychological Review, 108, 624–652.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blais, C., Dobidoux, S., Risko, E. F., & Besner, D. (2007). Item-specific adaptation and the conflict-monitoring hypothesis: A computational model. Psychological Review, 114, 1076–1086.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bryck, R.L., & Mayr, U. (in press). Task selection cost asymmetry without task switching. Psychological Bulletin and Review.

  • Cohen, J. D., Dunbar, K., & McClelland, J. L. (1990). On the control of automatic processes: A parallel distributed processing model of the Stroop effect. Psychological Review, 97, 332–361.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Egner, T., & Hirsch, J. (2005). The neural correlates and functional integration of cognitive control in a Stroop task. NeuroImage, 24, 539–547.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernandez-Duque, D., & Knight, M. B. (2007). Cognitive control: Dynamic, sustained, and voluntary influences. Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

  • Freitas, A. L., Bahar, M., Yang, S., & Bahar, R. (2007). Contextual adjustments in cognitive control across tasks. Psychological Science, 18, 1040–1043.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert, S. J., & Shallice, T. (2002). Task switching: a PDP model. Cognitive Psychology, 44, 297–333.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gratton, G., Coles, M. G. H., & Donchin, E. (1992). Optimizing the use of information: Strategic control of activation of responses. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 121, 480–506.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jacoby, L. L., Lindsay, D. S., & Hessels, S. (2003). Item-specific control of automatic processes: Stroop process dissociations. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 10, 638–644.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kenny, D. A. (1975). Cross-lagged panel correlation: A test for spuriousness. Psychological Bulletin, 82, 887–903.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kerns, J. G., Cohen, J. D., MacDonald, A. W., I. I. I., Cho, R. Y., Stenger, V. A., & Carter, C. S. (2004). Anterior cingulate conflict monitoring and adjustments in control. Science, 303, 1023–1026.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kunde, W. (2003). Sequential modulations of stimulus-response correspondence effects depend on awareness of response conflict. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 10, 198–205.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Logan, G. D. (1988). Toward an instance theory of automatization. Psychological Review, 95, 492–527.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • May, C. P., Kane, H. J., & Hasher, L. (1995). Determinants of negative priming. Psychological Bulletin, 118, 35–54.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayr, U. (2004). Consciousness and control. Trends in Cognitive Science, 8, 145–148.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayr, U. (2007). Conflict and Control. Presentation at the Workshop “Conclicts as Signals” in Binz, Germany, October 2007.

  • Mayr, U., & Bryck, R. L. (2005). Sticky rules: Integration between abstract rules and specific actions. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 31, 337–350.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayr, U., & Bryck, R. L. (2006). Outsourcing control to the environment: effects of stimulus/response locations on task selection. Psychological Research, 71, 107–116.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayr, U., Awh, E., & Laurey, P. (2003). Conflict adaptation effects in the absence of executive control. Nature Neuroscience, 6, 450–452.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nieuwenhuis, S., Stins, J. F., Posthuma, D., Polderman, T. J. C., Boomsma, D. I., & De Geus, E. J. (2006). Accounting for sequential trial effects in the flanker task: Conflict adaptation or associative priming? Memory & Cognition, 34, 1260–1272.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J. R., Crump, M. J., Cheesman, J., & Besner, D. (2007). Contingency learning without awareness: Evidence for implicit control. Consciousness and Cognition, 16, 421–435.

    PubMed  Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shiffrin, R. M., & Schneider, W. (1977). Controlled and automatic human information processing: II. Perceptual learning, automatic attending, and a general theory. Psychological Review, 84, 127–190.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tzelgov, J., Henik, A., & Berger, J. (1992). Controlling Stroop effects by manipulating expectations for color words. Memory & Cognition, 20, 727–735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ullsperger, M., Bylsma, L. M., & Botvinick, M. (2005). The conflict-adaptation effect: It’s not just priming. Cognitive, Affective and Behavioral Neuroscience, 5, 467–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Verbruggen, F., Notebaert, W., Liefooghe, B., & Vandierendonck, A. (2006). Stimulus and response conflict-induced cognitive control in the flanker task. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 13, 328–333.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403-1227, USA

    Ulrich Mayr & Edward Awh

Authors
  1. Ulrich Mayr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Edward Awh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ulrich Mayr.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mayr, U., Awh, E. The elusive link between conflict and conflict adaptation. Psychological Research 73, 794–802 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-008-0191-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-008-0191-1

Keywords

  • Anterior Cingulate Cortex
  • Congruency Effect
  • Negative Priming
  • Adaptation Effect
  • Incongruent Trial