Reflective and reflexive action control in patients with frontal brain lesions

Two types of action control derived from the model of action phases (H. Hec khausen & P. M. Gollwitzer. 1987) were analyzed in patients with frontal le sions, patients with nonfrontal lesions, and university students. In Study 1, reflective action control in terms of goal selection was assessed, and i mpaired deliberation was found in patients with frontal lesions. Study 2 as sessed reflexive action control in terms of automatic action initiation as a result of forming implementation intentions (P. M. Gollwitzer, 1999). All participants sped up their responses to critical stimuli by forming implem entation intentions. Moreover, lesion patients with weak performances on th e Tower of Hanoi (TOH) task did worse than patients with strong TOH perform ances in Study 1 but better than control participants in Study 2. Findings are interpreted as a functional dissociation between conscious reflective a ction control and automatic reflexive action control.