Understanding neural signals of post-decisional performance monitoring: An integrative review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Understanding neural signals of post-decisional performance monitoring: An integrative review

AU - Desender, Kobe

AU - Ridderinkhof, K. Richard

AU - Murphy, Peter R.

N1 - Funding Information: The seed for this review was planted during the Cognitive Control and Performance Monitoring workshop (CCPM 2019) in memory of Laurence Questienne. KU Leuven PXF-D8830-Franqui start-up grant Kobe Desender. Publisher Copyright: © Desender et al.

PY - 2021/8/20

Y1 - 2021/8/20

N2 - Performance monitoring is a key cognitive function, allowing to detect mistakes and adapt future behavior. Post-decisional neural signals have been identified that are sensitive to decision accuracy, decision confidence and subsequent adaptation. Here, we review recent work that supports an understanding of late error/confidence signals in terms of the computational process of post-decisional evidence accumulation. We argue that the error positivity, a positive-going centro-parietal potential measured through scalp electrophysiology, reflects the post-decisional evidence accumulation process itself, which follows a boundary crossing event corresponding to initial decision commitment. This proposal provides a powerful explanation for both the morphological characteristics of the signal and its relation to various expressions of performance monitoring. Moreover, it suggests that the error positivity –a signal with thus far unique properties in cognitive neuroscience – can be leveraged to furnish key new insights into the inputs to, adaptation, and consequences of the post-decisional accumulation process.

AB - Performance monitoring is a key cognitive function, allowing to detect mistakes and adapt future behavior. Post-decisional neural signals have been identified that are sensitive to decision accuracy, decision confidence and subsequent adaptation. Here, we review recent work that supports an understanding of late error/confidence signals in terms of the computational process of post-decisional evidence accumulation. We argue that the error positivity, a positive-going centro-parietal potential measured through scalp electrophysiology, reflects the post-decisional evidence accumulation process itself, which follows a boundary crossing event corresponding to initial decision commitment. This proposal provides a powerful explanation for both the morphological characteristics of the signal and its relation to various expressions of performance monitoring. Moreover, it suggests that the error positivity –a signal with thus far unique properties in cognitive neuroscience – can be leveraged to furnish key new insights into the inputs to, adaptation, and consequences of the post-decisional accumulation process.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85114097753&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.7554/eLife.67556

DO - 10.7554/eLife.67556

M3 - SCORING: Review article

C2 - 34414883

AN - SCOPUS:85114097753

VL - 10

JO - ELIFE

JF - ELIFE

SN - 2050-084X

M1 - e67556

ER -