How decisions evolve: The temporal dynamics of action selection

摘要

To study the process of decision-making under conflict, researchers typically analyzeresponse latency and accuracy. However, these tools provide little evidence regardinghow the resolution of conflict unfolds over time. Here, we analyzed the trajectories ofmouse movements while participants performed a continuous version of a spatial conflicttask (the Simon task). We applied a novel combination of multiple regression analysis anddistribution analysis to determine how conflict on the present trial and carry-over from theprevious trial affect responding. Response on the previous trial and the degree of conflicton the previous and the current trial all influenced performance, but they did so differ-ently: The previous response influenced the early part of the mouse trajectory, but thedegree of previous and current conflict influenced later parts. This suggests that in this taskexperiencing conflict may not proactively ready the system to handle conflict on the nexttrial; rather, when conflict is experienced on the subsequent trial the previous compensa-tory processing may be re-activated more efficiently.