The Sources of Sequential Modulations of Control Processes in Arithmetic Strategies: A Magnetoencephalography Study

Abstract

In a wide variety of cognitive domains, performance is determined by the selection and execution of cognitive strategies to solve problems. We used magnetoencephalography to identify the brain regions involved and specify the time course of dynamic modulations of executive control processes during strategy execution. Participants performed a computational estimation task in which they were instructed to execute a poorer or better strategy to estimate results of two-digit multiplication problems. When participants were asked to execute the poorer strategy, two distinct sets of brain activations were identified, depending on whether the poorer strategy (engaging the left inferior frontal junction) or the better strategy (engaging ACC) had been executed on the immediately preceding items. Our findings also revealed the time course of activations in regions involved in sequential modulations of cognitive control processes during arithmetic strategy execution. These findings point at processes of proactive preparation on items after poorer strategy items and dynamics of reactive adjustments after better strategy items.

Reactive and proactive control in arithmetical strategy selection

“…Our results are in line with previous studies (e.g., Hinault, Badier, Baillet, & Lemaire, 2017;Taillan et al, 2015), which show that cognitive control processes modulate strategy selection. According to Botvinick (2007), conflict monitoring biases behavior towards cognitively efficient tasks and strategies.…”

“…Taillan et al believe the AG reflects the participants' use of a heuristic that helps in selecting the better strategy in the computational estimation task. Also, the ACC and DLPFC were previously observed in conflict tasks (e.g., Botvinick et al, 2001Botvinick et al, , 2004Braver, 2012;Braver et al, 2009;Kerns, 2004Kerns, , 2006, the authors therefore interpreted the results as reflecting response conflict detection and resolution and suggested that executive control processes are necessary during strategy selection.Another study has shown that cognitive control is influenced by sequential modulations of arithmetic strategies (Hinault, Badier, Baillet, & Lemaire, 2017). The results of this study have demonstrated that the efficiency of strategy selection and execution differs depending on the previous item.…”

“…Another study has shown that cognitive control is influenced by sequential modulations of arithmetic strategies (Hinault, Badier, Baillet, & Lemaire, 2017). The results of this study have demonstrated that the efficiency of strategy selection and execution differs depending on the previous item.…”

Reappraising cognitive control: normal reactive adjustments following conflict processing are abolished by proactive emotion regulation

“…Presumably, the performance-contingent feedback enhanced conflict-driven control processes operating at a local level. This boost in CC might stem from changes in specific motivation processes (Van Steenbergen, Band, & Hommel, 2015), especially if the previous trial was conflict-related (Hinault, Badier, Baillet, & Lemaire, 2017). Interestingly, in high conflict frequency, the previous and current congruency also interacted with one another, revealing a systematic slowing done for cC relative to iC trials.…”

“…Further, it has even been proposed that the more efficient conflict processing usually observed after incongruent trials compared with congruent ones might actually reflect in part the proactive preparation occurring from one trial onto the next one (Duthoo, abrahamse, Braem, Boehler, & Notebaert, 2014;Hinault, Badier, Baillet, & Lemaire, 2017). Therefore, proactive control likely modulates conflict-driven adaptive control, in the sense that it is probably shaped by specific preparatory processes which are based on specific expectations (Gratton et al, 1992), or through activating processes that anticipate conflict and are meant to 5 reduce interference (Burgess, & Braver, 2010), or perhaps its negative or aversive nature (Dreisbach & Fischer, 2012).…”