The error related negativity (ERN; also called error negativity) (Falkenstein et al. 1991; Gehring et al. 1993) is an event-related potential (ERP) generated over fronto-central electrode scalp sites within 100 ms of an incorrect response. Larger ERNs have been associated with fast-acting compensatory systems that are able to inhibit and correct an error as it occurs and with slower acting systems that prolong reaction time (RT) on trials following errors (Gehring et al. 1993). Although the ERN was originally thought to index detection of errors, this interpretation was expanded when a negative potential similar to the ERN, the correct related negativity (CRN) (Vidal et al. 1998), was observed during correct trials high in response conflict (Vidal et al. 2000).
