Conflict adaptation is reflected by response interference

Abstract

The conflict monitoring theory suggests that the occurrence of conflict in previous trials leads to a reduction in interference in current trials through conflict adaption. The present study included two experiments that used a colour-based flanker task and a Stroop task in combination with a 2:1 stimulus-to-response mapping manipulation and a crossing of transition types (Previous trial type×Current trial type) with stimuli to investigate conflict adaption in relation to stimulus and response interference. The results demonstrate that response interference, but not stimulus interference, was reduced following both stimuli and response conflicts in previous trials. In contrast to some recent evidence, we conclude that conflict adaptation is limited to response interference.

Keywords:

• Conflict adaptation
• Conflict monitoring
• Response interference
• Stimulus interference

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (SWU1009001) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31170980). Thanks are due to Todd Jackson for his language corrections.

Notes

¹When a given stimulus and response occur at the same time, they are integrated into a common episodic memory representation (an event file); subsequently, the activation of any feature in an event file coactivates the other features (Hommel et al., 2004). For the feature transition between two consecutive trials, the same features (feature repetition) lead to a fast response. In contrast, different features (feature change) lead to a slow response. According to the feature integration model, the congruency sequence effect is caused by feature integration, but not conflict monitoring.