A Supine Body Posture Reduces the Error-Related Negativity: A Test of a Dissonance Theory Prediction

The present research tested whether a supine body posture, compared to a seated upright body posture, would reduce cognitive conflict processing as measured by the error-related negativity (ERN). Undergraduate students performed multiple trials of a speeded reaction time task in which they were first shown a face (White or Muslim), and then shown a gun or tool that they were to correctly identify. The task was performed when participants were seated upright or in a supine posture. Results revealed that the supine posture caused a decrease in ERNs to all types of errors (for participants who had a sufficient number of errors). The present research suggests that a supine body posture reduces cognitive conflict processing associated with error commission.