Internal consistency of event-related potentials associated with cognitive control: N2/P3 and ERN/Pe

PLoS One. 2014 Jul 17;9(7):e102672. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0102672. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Recent studies in psychophysiology show an increased attention for examining the reliability of Event-Related Potentials (ERPs), which are measures of cognitive control (e.g., Go/No-Go tasks). An important index of reliability is the internal consistency (e.g., Cronbach's alpha) of a measure. In this study, we examine the internal consistency of the N2 and P3 in a Go/No-Go task. Furthermore, we attempt to replicate the previously found internal consistency of the Error-Related Negativity (ERN) and Positive-Error (Pe) in an Eriksen Flanker task. Healthy participants performed a Go/No-Go task and an Eriksen Flanker task, whereby the amplitudes of the correct No-Go N2/P3, and error trials for ERN/Pe were the variables of interest. This study provides evidence that the N2 and P3 in a Go/No-Go task are internally consistent after 20 and 14 trials are included in the average, respectively. Moreover, the ERN and Pe become internally consistent after approximately 8 trials are included in the average. In addition guidelines and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attention / physiology
  • Brain / physiology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Brain Waves / physiology*
  • Cognition / physiology*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychomotor Performance / physiology*
  • Psychophysiology
  • Reaction Time / physiology
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

Funding (4×100 euro) was obtained from the host university of the corresponding author (Erasmus University) to pay the winning participant. The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.