Limits of Executive Control: Sequential Effects in Predictable Environments

The dataset for this article is available at http://hdl.handle.net/10871/19257.Cognitive control theories attribute action control to executive processes that modulate behavior based on expectancy or task rules. Here we examined corticospinal excitability and behavioral performance in a go/no-go task. Go and no-go trials were presented in runs of 5, and runs alternated predictably. At the beginning of each trial, subjects indicated whether they expected a go trial or a no-go trial. Analyses revealed that subjects immediately adjusted their expectancy ratings when a new run started. However, motor excitability was primarily associated with the properties of the previous trial, rather than the predicted properties of the current trial. We also observed a large go latency cost at the beginning of a go run. These findings indicate that actions in predictable environments are substantially influenced by previous events, even if this goes against conscious expectancies about upcoming events