Error-Related Negativity (ERN) as a Neural Сorrelate of Executive Functions: A Narrative Review

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Abstract

Executive functions are a set of high-level cognitive processes that regulate human behavior and cognition, and are necessary for adaptive and goal-directed behavior. The error monitoring process can be considered as a condition preceding the enhancement or activation of executive control. The neural correlate of this condition is the error-related negativity (ERN). This article presents a narrative review of research investigating cognitive and affective aspects of the error monitoring process in the context of executive functions using the ERN. The literature review on the affective aspect revealed a diversity of approaches to influencing the state of participants. Most works take into account information about participants' state or affectively salient aspects of stimuli perception. However, this information may not be sufficient to establish a link to the response to conflict induced by an error in an experimental task. Presumably, the general emotional state has only an indirect influence on the error monitoring process. This may be the reason for the inconsistent results observed in this area of research.

General Information

Keywords: executive functions, emotion, error monitoring, inhibitory control, working memory, cognitive flexibility, error-related negativity, evoked potential, EEG, ERN

Journal rubric: Neurosciences and Cognitive Studies

Article type: review article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/jmfp.2024130202

Funding. Supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Agreement 075-10-2021-093, Project COG-RND-2104).

Received: 03.05.2024

Accepted:

For citation: Evgeniy M.G., Talantseva O.I., Momotenko D.A. Error-Related Negativity (ERN) as a Neural Сorrelate of Executive Functions: A Narrative Review [Elektronnyi resurs]. Sovremennaia zarubezhnaia psikhologiia = Journal of Modern Foreign Psychology, 2024. Vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 22–32. DOI: 10.17759/jmfp.2024130202. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Machnev G. Evgeniy, Junior Researcher, Scientific Center for Cognitive Research, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal territory "Sirius", Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3881-6029, e-mail: rainn34564@gmail.com

Oksana I. Talantseva, Research Associate, Scientific Center for Cognitive Research, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal territory "Sirius", Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-1216, e-mail: talantseva.oi@talantiuspeh.ru

Darya A. Momotenko, PhD in Psychology, Junior Researcher of the Center for Cognitive Sciences, Sirius University of Science and Technology, Federal territory "Sirius", Russia, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2544-5420, e-mail: daryamomotenko@gmail.com

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