Readiness potential, vertex positive wave, contingent negative variation and accuracy of perceptionPotentiel de preparation, onde positive au vertex, variation contingente negative et precision de perception

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Abstract

The readiness potential (RP), contingent negative variation (CNV) and vertex positive wave (P302) were recorded in a situation where subjects were asked to present themselves with brief visual stimuli, to attempt to perceive them correctly and subsequently, on cue, to report their perceptions. The results show that the RP preceding the button press leading to the presentation of the stimulus was a reliable index of the neural events associated with subsequent correct or incorrect perception. P302, although showing clear localization at the vertex, was not reliably correlated with the behavioral response. The CNV was shown to be related in this situation to motivation/expectancy/attention factors following the perception and preceding the report. These results are discussed in relation to other work with these phenomena, and the conclusion is drawn that the RP and the CNV reflect common underlying neural processes when both are studied in complex (global) psychological situations.

Résumé

Le potentiel de préparation (RP), la variation contingente négative (VCN) et l'onde positive au vertex (P302) ont été enregistrés dans une situation où il était demandé aux suiets de se présenter à eux-mêmes des stimuli visuels brefs, d'essayer de les percevoir correctement et par la suite, sur ordre, de faire le récit de leurs perceptions. Les résultats ont montré que le RP qui précède l'acte de presser le bouton qui entraîne la présentation du stimulus constitue un indice fidèle des évènements nerveux associés à une perception ultérieure correcte ou incorrecte. La P302, bien que nettement localisée au vertex, n'est pas valablement corrélée à la réponse comportementale. La VCN apparaît liée, dans cette situation, à des facteurs de motivation/expectative/attention consécutifs à la perception et antérieure au récit. Ces résultats sont discutés en relation avec d'autres travaux concernant ces phénomènes; la conclusion en est que le RP et la VCN reflètent des processus neuroniques sous-jacents communs lorsqu'ils sont tous deux étudiés dans des situations psychologiques complexes (globales).

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Major support for this research came from Grant No. NS-08456 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness of the U.S. Public Health Service and from the Leonard Waasdorp Memorial Fund. It was also supported in part under a contract with the U.S. Office of Naval Research. The latter support does not imply endorsement of the content of the publication by the Navy, nor does the acceptance of the support imply endorsement of the policies of the Navy by the authors.

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The bulk of this research was conducted while Mr. Rubin was a National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Fellow under a grant from NSE to the Department of Psychology of the University of Rochester.

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