Error-negativity and positivity as they relate to other ERP indices of attentional control and stimulus processing

We compared individual differences in the ERP associated with incorrect res ponses in a discrimination task with other ERP components associated with a ttentional control and stimulus discrimination (N2, P3. CNV). Trials with e rrors that are detected by the subject normally produce a negativity (N-E) immediately following the response followed by a positivity (P-E). The morp hology of the N-E and the P-E is similar to that of the standard N2-P3 comp lex on correct discrimination trials. Our findings suggest that the P-E is a P3 response to the internal detection of errors. The N-E, however, appear s to be distinct from the N2. Finally, even though both the contingent nega tive variation (CNV) and the N-E are associated with prefrontal cortex and the allocation of attention to response accuracy, the N-E and CNV did not r elate to one another. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.