青少年与成年人情绪冲突控制的年龄差异：一项行为和ERP研究（英文）

青春期被喻为“狂风骤雨期”,青少年可能比年幼的儿童和年长的成年人有更大的情绪抑制和控制的需求。情绪抑制控制能力与冒险行为、异常的心理和行为发展有关。本研究采用事件相关电位（ERP）方法探讨青少年与成人之间的情绪冲突控制的差异。31名早期青少年（男生19名;M年龄=12.66岁）和33名成年人（男生16名;M年龄=20.15岁）完成了面孔-词Stroop任务。在该任务中,情绪词叠加在情绪面孔上构成一致和不一致条件,被试被要求判断面孔的效价（面孔任务）或词语的效价（词语任务）。分析两组被试在行为表现和与情绪信息加工相关的ERP成分上的年龄差异。结果表明：（1）青少年在面孔判断任务中存在Stroop效应（一致性条件下的反应时间比不一致条件下的反应时间短）,而对于成年人而言,在面孔和词语判断任务中均发现了Stroop效应;（2）在青少年中,不一致条件诱发的N450波幅显著大于一致条件;（3）N450成分的Stroop效应仅在词语判断任务中出现,而SP成分的Stroop效应仅在面孔判断任务中出现。研究结果提供了神经证据表明,与成人相比,青少年处理情绪冲突的能力较差,这可能与其情绪控制相关的前额叶...     

不同认知方式对词—面孔任务Stroop效应的影响

该研究采用词—面孔Stroop任务,以76名大学生为被试,探讨了不同认知方式（场独立、场依存）对情绪冲突Stroop效应的影响。结果发现：（1）情绪冲突的Stroop效应显著,即,在词—面孔Stroop任务中,当词和面孔的情绪效价一致时,被试的反应时更短,正确率更高。（2）认知方式对情绪冲突Stroop任务的影响显著,表现为无论是一致还是不一致条件下,场独立者比场依存者的反应时都更短。（3）场依存者的情绪冲突Stroop效应更大,表现为其在词—面孔情绪效价一致和不一致条件下的反应时差异更大。     

挫折情境下自我肯定对执行功能的影响

为探讨挫折情境下自我肯定对执行功能的影响,创设挫折和非挫折情境,采用价值观自我肯定干预,通过Stroop范式和2-back范式分别测量抑制控制和工作记忆的刷新能力。结果发现,挫折情境下的Stroop任务和2-back任务反应时均高于非挫折情境;挫折情境下自我肯定组在Stroop任务和2-back任务上的反应时均显著低于非自我肯定组,而非挫折情境下两组的反应时没有显著性差异;Stroop效应量在情境与肯定条件上的交互作用不显著。结果表明挫折降低了执行功能的任务表现,自我肯定干预能够改善挫折情境下执行功能相关的任务成绩,促进了个体对工作记忆任务的刷新能力和Stroop任务的认知表现,但对抑制控制能力的改善没有明显作用。     

冲突观察能诱发冲突适应

重复启动效应和一致试次所占的比例都会影响冲突适应效应。采用词-色Stroop任务, 本研究在控制了重复启动效应和一致试次的比例之后, 通过三个实验共同探讨反应执行和冲突观察对冲突适应效应的影响。实验一发现当前试次的Stroop干扰效应, 但没有得到冲突适应效应; 在实验二中, 先前试次为四选一的选择反应时任务, 当前试次为词-色Stroop任务, 得到反转的冲突适应效应; 实验三和实验一程序相似, 但在先前试次上不执行反应, 得到了稳定的冲突适应效应。这些结果证明, 冲突观察能够诱发冲突适应机制, 提升当前的操作表现。     

色-词Stroop任务中的冲突类型述评

在认知控制领域中, 色-词Stroop任务常被用于研究冲突加工的内在机制。本文首先简述色-词Stroop任务中的刺激冲突和反应冲突及研究这两类冲突常用的实验范式。然后介绍这两类冲突的神经动力学特征：事件相关电位研究显示, N450的波幅调整反映了大脑对冲突的监测, 持续电位(sustained potential, SP)的波幅调整反映了大脑对反应冲突的解决; 核磁共振成像研究显示, 前扣带回、背外侧前额叶分别在反应冲突的监测、认知控制的执行上扮演着重要的角色。文章最后针对目前研究范式存在的问题提出了改进方法和认知神经研究的新方向。     

社会排斥和目标刺激的情绪交互影响情绪冲突控制

采用Cyberball任务和面孔-词Stroop任务探讨社会排斥和目标刺激的情绪是否交互影响情绪冲突控制。结果显示,社会排斥对情绪冲突控制的影响随着目标刺激情绪的变化而变化。具体表现为,当目标刺激为愤怒面孔时,排斥组被试与接纳组被试在反应时上表现出相似的情绪Stroop效应。然而,当目标刺激为高兴面孔时,排斥组被试比接纳组被试在反应时上表现出更大的情绪Stroop效应。该结果提示,在面孔-词Stroop任务中判断高兴面孔时,社会排斥增强了被试对任务无关消极信息的注意。该发现有助于深入理解社会排斥增加个体罹患情绪障碍风险的原因。     

时间分配的执行功能:双重效价联合任务的证据

采用内隐联想测验的修订版本双重效价联合任务范式,利用ERP技术探究不同时间分配倾向个体在执行冲突和转换任务时的执行功能,以揭示不同时间分配倾向个体在相容和不相容任务过程中脑内时程的动态变化。研究结果发现,多重组个体显示出更快的反应时;ERP结果表明,相比于多重组,单一组在不相容任务中比在相容任务中诱发了更大的N170,说明多重组个体可能更善于同时执行多项任务,而单一组执行冲突任务可能需要投入更多的注意资源。同时在认知加工的晚期阶段单一组比多重组诱发了更大的LPP,提示单一组需要更强的认知控制加工。     

SOA对Stroop启动效应的影响:行为和ERP研究

在Stroop启动范式中,启动刺激是灰色的色词,目标刺激是颜色块,被试的任务是命名颜色块的颜色。本研究通过行为实验和事件相关电位(ERP)实验的方法,研究SOA(Stimulus Onset Asynchrony)对Stroop启动效应的影响。当SOA为107ms时,在行为数据(反应时)和ERP数据(N300成分)上均表现出明显的启动效应;当SOA为1040ms时,行为上和ERP上的启动效应消失。该结果提示了在Stroop启动效应中,启动刺激对目标刺激的影响很可能是发生在对目标刺激的知觉加工晚期。     

音乐训练与抑制控制的关系：来自ERPs的证据

抑制控制是人类非常重要的认知功能之一, 它对个体适应环境具有重要的意义。本研究将抑制控制细分为反应抑制和冲突控制, 采用Go/No-go和Stroop任务从行为和脑电层面, 考察了音乐训练与抑制控制能力的关系及其认知神经机制。结果发现：在行为指标上, 音乐训练组比控制组的Stroop干扰效应更小, 但两组被试在Go/No-go任务表现上没有差异。在脑电指标上, 在Go/No-go任务中音乐训练组的N2差异波和P3差异波波幅(No-go减Go条件)显著大于控制组, 在Stroop任务中音乐训练组的N450差异波波幅(不一致减一致条件)也显著大于控制组, 但两组被试的SP差异波波幅(不一致减一致条件)无显著差异。结果表明：音乐训练组被试在反应抑制任务中可能具有更强的冲突监控和运动抑制能力, 在冲突控制任务中也具有更强的冲突监控能力。本研究从电生理的层面反映了音乐训练与抑制控制能力的提升具有一定的关联。     

基于Flanker、Stroop和Simon多重冲突驱动的认知控制机制

认知控制是维持和调整多任务目标导向的加工策略,而基于多任务冲突的认知控制是一般领域上还是特定领域上,即一种冲突是否会影响另一种冲突的解决,已有研究并没有得到统一的结论。本研究运用事件相关电位（ERP）方法考察了同一任务中不同类型冲突（Stroop、Simon和Flanker冲突）驱动认知控制调节的脑机制。数据显示：各冲突都出现了一致性效应和冲突适应性效应;实验中每种冲突的上一个trial只与该类冲突的当前trial的交互效应显著,而与其他类型冲突的当前trial的交互效应不显著;几乎所有冲突都发现了P300、N450、SP成分一致性效应。结果表明：在不同类型冲突驱动条件下,人脑能够同时监控并解决不同类型的冲突;冲突驱动的认知控制系统以局部的控制方式工作;人脑是基于多冲突驱动的认知控制系统的灵活性和某类型冲突所特有的控制机制来解决冲突,且冲突解决机制是相互独立、互不干扰的。     

冲突控制是领域一般性的还是领域特殊性的?

本研究采用整合交叉范式整合了Stroop任务和Simon任务,在双重认知控制的框架下探讨冲突控制是领域一般性的还是领域特殊性的问题。结果发现:序列一致性效应只出现在任务内,不出现于任务间,显示对冲突的反应性控制具有领域特殊性;比例一致性效应不仅出现在同种任务中,而且扩展到不同任务中,显示对冲突的主动性控制具有领域一般性。本研究结果对于理解认知控制的本质和机制具有重要意义。     

Attentional control adjustments in Eriksen and Stroop task performance can be independent of response conflict

In the Eriksen flanker and colour-word Stroop tasks, the response time (RT) difference between incongruent and congruent trials is smaller following incongruent trials than following congruent trials: the “Gratton effect” (Gratton, Coles, & Donchin, 1992). According to the prevailing conflict-monitoring theory (Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, & Cohen, 2001), the Gratton effect reflects attentional control adjustment following response conflict on incongruent trials. However, because previous studies compared incongruent and congruent trials, it remains unclear to what extent the Gratton effect is driven by incongruent rather than congruent trials. To resolve this issue, we included neutral trials in addition to incongruent and congruent trials in the Eriksen (Experiment 1) and Stroop (Experiment 2) tasks. Participants responded manually and vocally in both tasks. Moreover, we assessed responding to Stroop stimuli that were preceded by neutral cues or by incongruent- or congruent-predicting cues (Experiment 3). In all three experiments, the RT difference between incongruent and congruent trials was larger for postcongruent trials than for postincongruent and postneutral trials. These findings suggest that control adjustments can be independent of response conflict, challenging conflict-monitoring theory.     

Attentional control adjustments in Eriksen and Stroop task performance can be independent of response conflict

In the Eriksen flanker and colour-word Stroop tasks, the response time (RT) difference between incongruent and congruent trials is smaller following incongruent trials than following congruent trials: the "Gratton effect" (Gratton, Coles, & Donchin, 1992). According to the prevailing conflict-monitoring theory (Botvinick, Braver, Barch, Carter, & Cohen, 2001), the Gratton effect reflects attentional control adjustment following response conflict on incongruent trials. However, because previous studies compared incongruent and congruent trials, it remains unclear to what extent the Gratton effect is driven by incongruent rather than congruent trials. To resolve this issue, we included neutral trials in addition to incongruent and congruent trials in the Eriksen (Experiment 1) and Stroop (Experiment 2) tasks. Participants responded manually and vocally in both tasks. Moreover, we assessed responding to Stroop stimuli that were preceded by neutral cues or by incongruent- or congruent-predicting cues (Experiment 3). In all three experiments, the RT difference between incongruent and congruent trials was larger for postcongruent trials than for postincongruent and postneutral trials. These findings suggest that control adjustments can be independent of response conflict, challenging conflict-monitoring theory.     

Sequential congruency effects: disentangling priming and conflict adaptation

Responding to the color of a word is slower and less accurate if the word refers to a different color (incongruent condition) than if it refers to the same color (congruent condition). This phenomenon, known as the Stroop effect, is modulated by sequential effects: it is bigger when the current trial is preceded by a congruent condition than by an incongruent one in the previous trial. Whether this phenomenon is due to priming mechanisms or to cognitive control is still debated. To disentangle the contribution of priming with respect to conflict adaptation mechanisms in determining sequential effects, two experiments were designed here with a four-alternative forced choice (4-AFC) Stroop task: in the first one only trials with complete alternations of features were used, while in the second experiment all possible types of repetitions were presented. Both response times (RTs) and errors were evaluated. Conflict adaptation effects on RTs were limited to congruent trials and were exclusively due to priming: they disappeared in the priming-free experiment and, in the second experiment, they occurred in sequences with feature repetitions but not in complete alternation sequences. Error results, instead, support the presence of conflict adaptation effects in incongruent trials. In priming-free sequences (Experiment 1 and complete alternation sequences of Experiment 2) with incongruent previous trials there was no error Stroop effect, while this effect was significant with congruent previous trials. These results indicate that cognitive control may modulate performance above and beyond priming effects.     

Evidence for task conflict in the Stroop effect

C. M. MacLeod and P. A. MacDonald (2000) suggested that congruent and incongruent Stroop stimuli cause more task conflict than neutral stimuli because the anterior cingulate cortex is more activated with these stimuli. This study investigated behavioral expression for this pattern. Experiment 1 reduced task conflict control by increasing the proportion of nonword neutrals. Additionally, half the trials had conflict or neutral cues. The control reduction revealed the task conflict. For noncued trials, response time was longer for congruent stimuli than for neutral stimuli (reverse facilitation effect). In addition, response time for congruent stimuli was longer when stimuli were uncued vs. cued. Experiment 2 increased task conflict control by changing the neutral stimuli to noncolor words. Consequently, the task conflict expression disappeared.     

A reach-to-touch investigation on the nature of reading in the Stroop task

In a Stroop task, participants can be presented with a color name printed in color and need to classify the print color while ignoring the word. The Stroop effect is typically calculated as the difference in mean response time (RT) between congruent (e.g., the word RED printed in red) and incongruent (GREEN in red) trials. Delta plots compare not just mean performance, but the entire RT distributions of congruent and incongruent conditions. However, both mean RT and delta plots have some limitations. Arm-reaching trajectories allow a more continuous measure for assessing the time course of the Stroop effect. We compared arm movements to congruent and incongruent stimuli in a standard Stroop task and a control task that encourages processing of each and every word. The Stroop effect emerged over time in the control task, but not in the standard Stroop, suggesting words may be processed differently in the two tasks.     

Positive emotion modulates cognitive control: An event‐related potentials study

There is substantial evidence to indicate that negative emotion can modulate cognitive control processing. However, only a few studies have investigated this effect with positive emotion. Therefore, the present study explored the electrophysiological correlates of the impact of positive emotional stimuli on cognitive control, using event‐related potentials (ERPs). Sixteen healthy young adults completed a modified Simon task (Simon, 1969). Behavioral data indicated that reaction times were faster for positive emotional stimuli than for neutral emotional stimuli in the incongruent condition, but not in the congruent condition, which suggested that positive emotion expedited conflict resolution. The ERP data showed that two negative ERP components (N300–400 and N450–550) were associated with the positive emotional stimuli in the incongruent minus congruent condition. It is suggested that these components may respectively be related to the conflict monitoring (N300–400) and response selection (N450–550) stages of cognitive control processing. Overall, our results indicated that positive emotion could facilitate cognitive control processing. These results are in line with the neuropsychological theory, according to which, positive emotion could modulate cognitive control mediated by increased dopamine levels in frontal brain areas.     

Cognitive control outside of conscious awareness

To test whether cognitive control can operate fully unconsciously on conflicts arising between two interfering subliminal stimuli, we designed a priming paradigm in which a subliminal reverse Color-Word Stroop item (a color word written on a congruent/incongruent color rectangle) preceded a supraliminal one in each trial. We found (a) a conflict adaptation effect, with a smaller reverse Stroop effect on the visible probe items after incongruent than after congruent subliminal prime items and (b) a negative priming effect, with longer reaction-times on incongruent visible probe items when the color word corresponded to the color of the rectangle in the preceding subliminal prime item than when it was not. These effects replicate the ones classically reported in studies using visible items and suggest that cognitive control was transferred from the subliminal prime to the visible probe items. Taken together, our results demonstrate that cognitive control can operate on conflicting subliminal information.     

Time course analysis of the Stroop phenomenon

Dyer (1971) investigated the response competition hypothesis of the Stroop phenomenon by temporally separating the color and word components of single stimuli (incongruent, control, and congruent). This line of research was continued in a series of five experiments that generalized Dyer's study: (a) In addition to the color-naming task, a reading task was included; (b) the irrelevant stimulus component was presented before and after the relevant one; (c) the probabilities of congruent and incongruent stimuli were varied; (d) besides color-word/color stimuli, color-color and word-word stimuli were used; and (e) the functional discrimination (color naming or reading) was compared with a sequential discrimination task. The data suggest the following temporal relations: (a) a slow facilitation due to response bias; (b) its inhibitory counterpart; and (c) a fast, strong inhibition with no facilitatory complement that seems to correspond to the usual Stroop conflict but that seems to occur earlier than the response execution stage.