The transition from implicit to explicit representations in incidental learning situations: more evidence from high-frequency EEG coupling.

TY - JOUR

T1 - The transition from implicit to explicit representations in incidental learning situations: more evidence from high-frequency EEG coupling.

AU - Wessel, Jan R.

AU - Haider, Hilde

AU - Rose, Michael

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Implicit learning, i.e. knowledge acquisition in incidental learning situations, is a fundamental feature of the human mind. The extraction of (and subsequent adaptation to) regular patterns in the environment facilitates everyday actions. The cognitive and neural processes accompanying the transition from subconscious (implicit) to verbally reportable (explicit) knowledge about task contingencies are of high interest to the cognitive neurosciences, since they indicate a process that generates awareness for learned associations. Previous studies indicated an important role of high-frequency coupling (gamma-band) for the process that initiates the emergence of awareness for an implicitly learned task-underlying structure. It is unclear, however, whether this EEG coupling is indicative of a general, task-independent process accompanying the shift between implicit and explicit knowledge. To test the general role of this synchrony effect, we investigated EEG gamma-band coherence in the time period where this transition takes place using a serial reaction time paradigm. As expected, we find increased coupling in the gamma-band EEG between right prefrontal and occipital electrode sites just before the behavioural manifestation of emerging explicit sequence representation. These results support both the notion of general involvement of widespread cortical associative couplings in the generation of conscious knowledge and the necessity to study emerging consciously available memory representations using fine-grained properties of behavioural data.

AB - Implicit learning, i.e. knowledge acquisition in incidental learning situations, is a fundamental feature of the human mind. The extraction of (and subsequent adaptation to) regular patterns in the environment facilitates everyday actions. The cognitive and neural processes accompanying the transition from subconscious (implicit) to verbally reportable (explicit) knowledge about task contingencies are of high interest to the cognitive neurosciences, since they indicate a process that generates awareness for learned associations. Previous studies indicated an important role of high-frequency coupling (gamma-band) for the process that initiates the emergence of awareness for an implicitly learned task-underlying structure. It is unclear, however, whether this EEG coupling is indicative of a general, task-independent process accompanying the shift between implicit and explicit knowledge. To test the general role of this synchrony effect, we investigated EEG gamma-band coherence in the time period where this transition takes place using a serial reaction time paradigm. As expected, we find increased coupling in the gamma-band EEG between right prefrontal and occipital electrode sites just before the behavioural manifestation of emerging explicit sequence representation. These results support both the notion of general involvement of widespread cortical associative couplings in the generation of conscious knowledge and the necessity to study emerging consciously available memory representations using fine-grained properties of behavioural data.

KW - Adult

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - Electroencephalography

KW - Awareness/physiology

KW - Reaction Time/physiology

KW - Cerebral Cortex/physiology

KW - Learning/physiology

KW - Adult

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Female

KW - Electroencephalography

KW - Awareness/physiology

KW - Reaction Time/physiology

KW - Cerebral Cortex/physiology

KW - Learning/physiology

M3 - SCORING: Journal article

VL - 217

SP - 153

EP - 162

JO - EXP BRAIN RES

JF - EXP BRAIN RES

SN - 0014-4819

IS - 1

M1 - 1

ER -