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Choosing to stop: responses evoked by externally triggered and internally generated inhibition identify a neural mechanism of will

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posted on 2023-06-09, 01:21 authored by Jim Parkinson, Patrick Haggard
Inhibiting inappropriate action is key to human behavioural control. Studies of action inhibition largely investigated external stop signals, yet these are rare in everyday life. Instead healthy adults exert "self-control," implying an ability to decide internally to stop actions. We added "choose for yourself" stimuli to a conventional go/no-go task to compare reactive versus intentional action and inhibition. No-go reactions showed the N2 EEG potential characteristic of inhibiting prepotent motor responses, whereas go reactions did not. Interestingly, the N2 component was present for intentional choices both to act and also to inhibit. Thus, free choices involved a first step of intentionally inhibiting prepotent responses before generating or withholding an action. Intentional inhibition has a crucial role breaking the flow of stimulus-driven responding, allowing expression of volitional decisions. Even decisions to initiate self-generated actions require this prior negative form of volition, ensuring the "freedom from immediacy" characteristic of human behaviour.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

ISSN

0898-929X

Publisher

Cambridge Center for Behavioral Studies

Issue

10

Volume

27

Page range

1948-1956

Department affiliated with

  • Informatics Publications

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2016-05-24

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2016-05-24

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2016-05-24

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