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Experimental evidence of a two-level nature of feature binding in the auditory modality: towards reconciliation of opposing views
84
IOP 2016
157 Experimental evidence of a two-level nature of feature binding in the auditory modality: towards reconciliation of opposing views Boris V. Chernyshev, Dmitri V. Bryzgalov, Ivan E. Lazarev Laboratory of Cognitive Psychophysiology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia Current understanding of feature binding remains controversial. Studies measuring mismatch negativity (MMN) demonstrate a low level of binding, while behavioral experiments suggest a higher level. We examined the possibility that the two levels of feature binding coexist and can be revealed within one experiment. EEG was recorded while participants were engaged in an auditory twoalternative choice task, which was a combination of the oddball and condensation tasks. Two types of deviant target stimuli were used – complex stimuli, which required feature conjunction to be identified, and simple stimuli, which differed from standard stimuli in a single feature. We measured MMN and P300, as well as behavioral accuracy and response time. Responses to complex stimuli were slower (p b .001) and less accurate (p b .0001) than responses to simple stimuli. For simple stimuli, errors were associated with increased response time (p b .0001), while there was no such effect for complex stimuli (p = .46). MMN was prominent and its amplitude was similar for both simple and complex stimuli (p = .84) – although the stimuli differed from standards in a single feature or two features correspondingly. Errors in response only to complex stimuli were associated with decreased MMN amplitude (p = .03). P300 amplitude was greater for complex stimuli than for simple stimuli (p b 0.0001). For simple stimuli, P300 amplitude was reduced before errors (p = .04). Thus, we have replicated within one experiment the major effects reported in both lines of binding research. Our observation that during errors MMN amplitude was reduced only for complex stimuli (with no such effect for simple stimuli) hints that the neuronal population encoding feature conjunction is closely associated with (or coincides with) the neuronal population that generates MMN. Our P300 data are compatible with the explanation that higher processing levels receive sensory representations of conjoined features as well as of separate features. Thus, the increased informational load created by complex stimuli prolongs processing time – leading to increased response time for the stimuli requiring conjunction. In summary, our data show that binding in auditory modality involves two distinct levels of processing. The early level related to MMN generation seems to be a critical stage. Yet a later analysis is also performed, affecting P300 amplitude and response time. Our findings provide resolution to conflicting views concerning the nature of feature binding and support the notion that feature binding is a distributed multi-level process. This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities, research project No 15-06-10742. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.07.265
158 Event-related brain potentials to sudden stimulus omissions are affected by the predictability of stimulus identity Motohiro Kimura, Yuji Takeda National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
Human electrophysiological studies have shown that sudden omissions of sensory consequence of voluntary action elicit a P300like event-related brain potential (ERP) component called positive missing-stimulus potential (PMSP). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not PMSP is sensitive to the predictability of the identity of sensory consequence. For this purpose, we manipulated the number of stimulus that can be produced by the participant’s voluntary action. In four separate blocks (i.e., 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks), the participants (n = 30) successively pressed a right button with the right forefinger at a constant interval of about 1 s. In all blocks, each button press produced a bar stimulus on a computer display [i.e., a standard stimulus (a bar with square edges; p = .85) or a target stimulus (a bar with round edges; p = .05)], but occasionally did not [i.e., a stimulus omission (p = .10)]. The participant’s task was to press a left button with the left forefinger as quickly as possible when the target stimulus was produced on a display. In the 1-stimulus block, the orientation of bar stimuli was fixed throughout the block. In the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks, the orientation of bar stimuli was randomly chosen from two, four, and eight possible orientations with equal probabilities, respectively. Thus, the identity was less predictable as the number of the possible orientations increased. Results showed that, in all blocks, PMSP with a right parietal (i.e., P4 electrode) maximum scalp distribution was elicited at around 350550 ms after stimulus omissions. The amplitudes of PMSP in the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks were smaller compared to that of PMSP in the 1-stimulus block; no significant difference was observed among the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks. These results suggest that PMSP is sensitive to the predictability of the identity of sensory consequence; PMSP has a binary rather than a graded sensitivity to the number of possible sensory consequence. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.07.266
159 Relative EEG desynchronization and synchronization in speech perception by infants attending institutions of early childhood development Anastasya V. Bakhchinaa,b, Elena Y. Poyarkovab, Kirill N. Gromovb, Sergey B. Parinb a Institute of Psychology of RAS, Moscow, Russia b Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Nizhni Novgorod, Russia Different stages of cognitive development can be reflected in EEG correlates. Krause et al. (1997) have found an increase in the alpha activity of the cortex for backward speech perception in adults (Krause et. al., 1997). We investigated the de- and synchronisation of the EEG alpha, beta and theta frequency bands in speech perception of infants attending an institution of early childhood development (an orphanage vs a state kindergarten). 10 right-handed 24- to 26-month-old subjects were presented a 5-minute auditory text fragment in two conditions: backwards and forwards, - with the EEG signal registered during the experimental trial. Electrodes were placed bilaterally on the subject’s scalp using electrode cream and the 10/20 system of electrode placement at F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, T3, C3, Cz, C4, T4, T5, P3,Pz, P4, T6, O1, Oz and O2. For the analysis, the subjects were divided into two groups according to the score on the Bayley scales of infant and toddler development (BCDI -II): infants with priority development (PD) (N = 4) and infants with normal development (ND) (N = 7). The EEG frequency bands were more synchronised for both a forward and a backward stimulus presentation in the group of PD than in the group of ND (the Mann–Whitney U test,
IOP 2016
157 Experimental evidence of a two-level nature of feature binding in the auditory modality: towards reconciliation of opposing views Boris V. Chernyshev, Dmitri V. Bryzgalov, Ivan E. Lazarev Laboratory of Cognitive Psychophysiology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia Current understanding of feature binding remains controversial. Studies measuring mismatch negativity (MMN) demonstrate a low level of binding, while behavioral experiments suggest a higher level. We examined the possibility that the two levels of feature binding coexist and can be revealed within one experiment. EEG was recorded while participants were engaged in an auditory twoalternative choice task, which was a combination of the oddball and condensation tasks. Two types of deviant target stimuli were used – complex stimuli, which required feature conjunction to be identified, and simple stimuli, which differed from standard stimuli in a single feature. We measured MMN and P300, as well as behavioral accuracy and response time. Responses to complex stimuli were slower (p b .001) and less accurate (p b .0001) than responses to simple stimuli. For simple stimuli, errors were associated with increased response time (p b .0001), while there was no such effect for complex stimuli (p = .46). MMN was prominent and its amplitude was similar for both simple and complex stimuli (p = .84) – although the stimuli differed from standards in a single feature or two features correspondingly. Errors in response only to complex stimuli were associated with decreased MMN amplitude (p = .03). P300 amplitude was greater for complex stimuli than for simple stimuli (p b 0.0001). For simple stimuli, P300 amplitude was reduced before errors (p = .04). Thus, we have replicated within one experiment the major effects reported in both lines of binding research. Our observation that during errors MMN amplitude was reduced only for complex stimuli (with no such effect for simple stimuli) hints that the neuronal population encoding feature conjunction is closely associated with (or coincides with) the neuronal population that generates MMN. Our P300 data are compatible with the explanation that higher processing levels receive sensory representations of conjoined features as well as of separate features. Thus, the increased informational load created by complex stimuli prolongs processing time – leading to increased response time for the stimuli requiring conjunction. In summary, our data show that binding in auditory modality involves two distinct levels of processing. The early level related to MMN generation seems to be a critical stage. Yet a later analysis is also performed, affecting P300 amplitude and response time. Our findings provide resolution to conflicting views concerning the nature of feature binding and support the notion that feature binding is a distributed multi-level process. This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities, research project No 15-06-10742. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.07.265
158 Event-related brain potentials to sudden stimulus omissions are affected by the predictability of stimulus identity Motohiro Kimura, Yuji Takeda National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
Human electrophysiological studies have shown that sudden omissions of sensory consequence of voluntary action elicit a P300like event-related brain potential (ERP) component called positive missing-stimulus potential (PMSP). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not PMSP is sensitive to the predictability of the identity of sensory consequence. For this purpose, we manipulated the number of stimulus that can be produced by the participant’s voluntary action. In four separate blocks (i.e., 1-, 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks), the participants (n = 30) successively pressed a right button with the right forefinger at a constant interval of about 1 s. In all blocks, each button press produced a bar stimulus on a computer display [i.e., a standard stimulus (a bar with square edges; p = .85) or a target stimulus (a bar with round edges; p = .05)], but occasionally did not [i.e., a stimulus omission (p = .10)]. The participant’s task was to press a left button with the left forefinger as quickly as possible when the target stimulus was produced on a display. In the 1-stimulus block, the orientation of bar stimuli was fixed throughout the block. In the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks, the orientation of bar stimuli was randomly chosen from two, four, and eight possible orientations with equal probabilities, respectively. Thus, the identity was less predictable as the number of the possible orientations increased. Results showed that, in all blocks, PMSP with a right parietal (i.e., P4 electrode) maximum scalp distribution was elicited at around 350550 ms after stimulus omissions. The amplitudes of PMSP in the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks were smaller compared to that of PMSP in the 1-stimulus block; no significant difference was observed among the 2-, 4-, and 8-stimulus blocks. These results suggest that PMSP is sensitive to the predictability of the identity of sensory consequence; PMSP has a binary rather than a graded sensitivity to the number of possible sensory consequence. doi:10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2016.07.266
159 Relative EEG desynchronization and synchronization in speech perception by infants attending institutions of early childhood development Anastasya V. Bakhchinaa,b, Elena Y. Poyarkovab, Kirill N. Gromovb, Sergey B. Parinb a Institute of Psychology of RAS, Moscow, Russia b Lobachevsky State University of Nizhni Novgorod, Nizhni Novgorod, Russia Different stages of cognitive development can be reflected in EEG correlates. Krause et al. (1997) have found an increase in the alpha activity of the cortex for backward speech perception in adults (Krause et. al., 1997). We investigated the de- and synchronisation of the EEG alpha, beta and theta frequency bands in speech perception of infants attending an institution of early childhood development (an orphanage vs a state kindergarten). 10 right-handed 24- to 26-month-old subjects were presented a 5-minute auditory text fragment in two conditions: backwards and forwards, - with the EEG signal registered during the experimental trial. Electrodes were placed bilaterally on the subject’s scalp using electrode cream and the 10/20 system of electrode placement at F7, F3, Fz, F4, F8, T3, C3, Cz, C4, T4, T5, P3,Pz, P4, T6, O1, Oz and O2. For the analysis, the subjects were divided into two groups according to the score on the Bayley scales of infant and toddler development (BCDI -II): infants with priority development (PD) (N = 4) and infants with normal development (ND) (N = 7). The EEG frequency bands were more synchronised for both a forward and a backward stimulus presentation in the group of PD than in the group of ND (the Mann–Whitney U test,