Contingency learning and episodic contributions to the item-specific proportion congruent effect

Abstract

Several studies have challenged the conflict adaptation account of cognitive control effects, suggesting that they are the result of learning/memory processes independent from control modulation. Some authors have suggested that the item-specific proportion congruent (ISPC) effect (i.e., the smaller congruency effect on items presented frequently in an incongruent combination) is driven by colour–word contingency learning (CL). However, it has recently been suggested that CL can be explained in terms of episodic retrieval of the response given to the last encounter with the same stimulus, with no role of associative learning. This study aims to analyse the independent role of CL and episodic retrieval on the ISPC effect. Experiment 1 showed no effect of control modulation and indicated that, when manipulated independently, learning-driven contingency is modulated by the episodic factor, but it remains significant. Experiments 2 and 3 extended the study of the interplay between learning and recency to the colour–word CL paradigm, finding larger contingency effects on colour words compared with neutral ones and replicating the interaction between CL and episodic retrieval from Experiment 1. Surprisingly, these two experiments also showed control modulation apart from contingency and recency effects in colour words. In sum, our study reveals that the ISPC effect results from the joint contribution of cognitive control, associative learning, and episodic effects.