Beyond Conflict Monitoring: Cognitive Control and the Neural Basis of Thinking Before You Act

Cognitive control refers to the processes by which individual cognitive functions are coordinated in the service of higher-level goals. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the middle front of the brain monitors performance, and it is activated when the need for control increasesfor instance, in difficult situations or when errors occur. Since the late 1990s, the ACC has been thought to signal when there is conflict between competing action plans so that the conflict can be resolved. More recently, an alternative model has reconceptualized the role of ACC as that of a predictor and evaluator of the likely outcomes of planned actions before the actions are performed. This new Predicted Response Outcome model accounts for a broader range of findings than the earlier framework and suggests that the ACC might support the cognitive operations by which individuals can think before they act in order to avoid risky or otherwise poor choices.