Response selection codes in neurophysiological data predict conjoint effects of controlled and automatic processes during response inhibition

The inhibition of prepotent responses is a requirement for goal‐directed behavior and several factors determine corresponding successful response inhibition processes. One factor relates to the degree of automaticity of pre‐potent response tendencies and another factor relates to the degree of cognitive control that is exerted during response inhibition. However, both factors can conjointly modulate inhibitory control. Cognitive theoretical concepts suggest that codings of stimulus‐response translations may underlie such conjoint effects. Yet, it is unclear in how far such specific codes, as assumed in cognitive psychological concepts, are evident in neurophysiological processes and whether there are specific functional neuroanatomical structures associated with the processing of such codes. Applying a temporal decomposition method of EEG data in combination with source localization methods we show that there are different, intermingled codes (i.e., “stimulus codes” and “response selection codes”) at the neurophysiological level during conjoint effects of “automatic” and “controlled” processes in response inhibition. Importantly, only “response selection codes” predict behavioral performance, and are subject to conjoint modulations by “automatic” and “controlled” processes. These modulations are associated with inferior and superior parietal areas (BA40/BA7), possibly reflecting an updating of internal representations when information is complex and probably difficult to categorize, but essential for behavioral control. Codes proposed by cognitive, psychological concepts seem to have a neurophysiological analogue that fits into current views on functions of inferior and superior parietal regions.