Participants typically perform between 500 – 1500 trials in these tasks in relatively rapid succession. In all of these tasks, errors are relatively rare and are characterized by fast reaction times compared to correct responses (Rabbitt, 1966). This suggests that errors are due to impulsive responding, prior to complete processing of the stimulus (Rabbitt & Vyas, 1981). Interestingly, reaction times on correct trials after errors are typically slower than the average reaction time on correct trials. It is thought that such post-error slowing occurs in order to increase the likelihood of a correct response on the subsequent trial (Hajcak, McDonald, & Simons, 2003b; Rabbitt, 1981).
