Dissociation of Pe and ERN/Ne in the conscious recognition of an error.

ABSTRACT

We evaluated the relationship between conscious awareness and the ERN/Ne and Pe in a digit entering task. On each trial, participants rated the accuracy of their responses on a three-point scale (incorrect, unsure, correct). The ERN/Ne was present on incorrect trials judged as incorrect. The Pe was evident on the same trials but also on correct and incorrect trials judged as unsure. We propose that the ERN/Ne occurs when there is an incorrect execution of a correct motor plan and the representation of the correct response is available for comparison with the actual response. The mismatch information that results from this comparison can be transferred to the Pe process and conscious awareness. However, the Pe process and conscious awareness do not only depend on this transfer of information from the ERN/Ne process. The Pe also occurs when there is uncertainty about the correctness of the motor plan, whether or not the plan is, in fact, correct.