The second hypothesis tested here was that alcohol’s effects on performance monitoring and adjustment are related to alcohol-induced decreases in NA. This hypothesis was based on three converging lines of evidence: (1) that alcohol consumption can reduce negative affect and distress (see Greeley & Oei, 1999; Sayette, 1993); (2) that the ERN covaries with the motivational significance of errors (Gehring et al., 1993; Gehring & Taylor, 2004; Hajcak et al., 2005) and has been associated with an aversive response to errors (Bush, Luu, & Posner, 2000; Hajcak & Foti, 2008); and (3) that the ACC, the neural source of the ERN, plays a role in the evaluation of pain and distress (e.g., Rainville et al., 1997). These factors suggested that alcohol might limit the extent to which errors are perceived or experienced as distressing.
