Disentangling cognitive processes in externalizing psychopathology using drift diffusion modeling: Antagonism, but not disinhibition, is associated with poor cognitive control

Abstract

Although externalizing psychopathology has been linked to deficits in cognitive control, the cognitive processes underlying this association are unclear. Here, we provide a theoretical account of how research on cognitive processes can help to integrate and distinguish personality and psychopathology. We then apply this account to connect the two major subcomponents of externalizing, Antagonism and Disinhibition, with specific control processes using a battery of inhibitory control tasks and corresponding computational modeling. Participants (final N = 104) completed the flanker, go/no‐go, and recent probes tasks, as well as normal and maladaptive personality inventories and measures of psychological distress. We fit participants' task behavior using a hierarchical drift diffusion model (DDM) to decompose their responses into specific cognitive processes. Using multilevel structural equation models, we found that Antagonism was associated with faster RTs on the flanker task and lower accuracy on flanker and go/no‐go tasks. These results were complemented by DDM parameter associations: Antagonism was linked to decreased threshold and drift rate parameter estimates in the flanker task and a decreased drift rate on no‐go trials. Altogether, our findings indicate that Antagonism is associated with specific impairments in fast (sub‐second) inhibitory control processes involved in withholding prepared/prepotent responses and filtering distracting information. Disinhibition and momentary distress, however, were not associated with task performance.

Gazing the dusty mirror: Joint effect of narcissism and sadism on workplace incivility via indirect effect of paranoia, antagonism, and emotional intelligence

“…The current research findings confirm the study's premise. Clarifying that individuals with low agreeability or strong antagonistic qualities are shown to have a distrustful, dishonest, greedy, uncooperative, uncivil, and haughty attitude toward their workplace environment, the findings of the current study are in line with previous studies (Hurtz and Donovan, 2000 ; Shiverdecker and LeBreton, 2019 ; Hall et al, 2021 ). Hurtz and Donovan ( 2000 ) found a negative association between antagonism and job performance, indicating that antagonistic personality features were a stronger precursor of promoting workplace negligence.…”

“…Shiverdecker and LeBreton ( 2019 ) argued that antagonistic personality disorder can promote workplace uncooperative behavior and uncivil socialization. On the other hand, Hall et al ( 2021 ) conducted research by associating the two key subcomponents of externalizing—antagonism and disinhibition—with particular control processes through the use of a battery of inhibitory control tasks and accompanying computer modeling. They revealed that antagonism was related to particular deficiencies in quick inhibitory control processes involved in withholding prepared/prepotent responses and filtering distracting information.…”

Developmental trajectory of flanker performance and its link to problem behavior in 7-to 12-year-old children

“…Classification: Internal cognitive control (Luna et al, 2015) and the diffusion-drift model (DDM) often observed in cognitive force choice paradigms (Dutilh, Forstmann, Vandekerckhove, & Wagenmakers, 2013;Hall, Schreiber, Allen, & Hallquist, 2021;Ratcliff & McKoon, 2008). Briefly, the DDM allows for the translation of task behavior into the components of cognitive processing.…”

Cool under fire: Psychopathic personality traits and decision making in law-enforcement-oriented populations.

“…Low boldness, high meanness, and high disinhibition would relate to more error commissions in the shooter task. Given the results of previous studies, it is likely that a TriPM profile pattern will emerge in relation to this performance-based task in which reduced emotional resilience (low boldness) and higher antagonism (meanness) and impulsivity (disinhibition) will be implicated (Dotterer et al, 2017; N. T. Hall et al, 2021). Although disinhibition is key to this prediction given the timelimited accuracy-based performance criterion, we predicted that this response pattern would also include the influence of high meanness (antagonism) and low boldness (lack of emotional resilience).…”

“…Low boldness, high meanness, and high disinhibition would relate to more error commissions in the shooter task. Given the results of previous studies, it is likely that a TriPM profile pattern will emerge in relation to this performance-based task in which reduced emotional resilience (low boldness) and higher antagonism (meanness) and impulsivity (disinhibition) will be implicated (Dotterer et al, 2017; N. T. Hall et al, 2021).…”