Using cognitive cues to facilitate selective stopping of planned actions : a behavioural and physiological approach

Inhibitory control is the ability to cancel movements in response to changes in the environment (Band, Van Der Molen & Logan, 2003). The current study used behavioural and physiological measures to investigate selective inhibitory motor control, specifically whether prior cognitive knowledge, the type of prior knowledge presented, and hand dominance influenced stopping performance. Thirty-six participants aged between 18 to 36 years (`M`=24, `SD`=5.25) participated in a stop signal task, whereby they responded to visual 'go' signals with a bimanual button press and had to cancel (inhibit) one of the button presses on a small proportion of trials while continuing to execute the contralateral press. Electromyography (EMG) analysis was used to determine whether low levels of muscle activity were present on a correctly inhibited response (covert response). Behaviorally, prior cognitive knowledge reduced reaction time costs associated with selective stopping but did not abolish them. However, the type of knowledge presented, and hand dominance did not significantly reduce selective stop costs and stop signal reaction times. The EMG analysis suggests that the type of knowledge presented can impact inhibitory control, specifically depending on an individual's hand dominance. These findings build on previous research suggesting that prior cognitive knowledge can improve selective stopping abilities.