Wisconsin card sorting in adolescents: Analysis of performance, response times and heart rate.

9 adolescents performed the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). A main PCA component of WCST performance was identified as 'efficiency of reasoning.' This factor was related to feedback processing. From the WCST, a perseveration score can be derived. Perseveration is the continued application of a rule, after it has been disconfirmed. The authors compared more and less perseverating Ss in relation to stimulus-response (SR) time, feedback inspection time and cardiac acceleration and deceleration. Less perseverating Ss responded faster, and had longer and more adaptive inspection times of error feedback. The authors examined the switch from rule application to rule search, and the difference between correct and error responses. A transient cardiac deceleration at the initiation of rule search was interpreted as a change in supervisory attention. An error-related deceleration to negative feedback was interpreted as a disturbance of higher control processing. Previous trial feedback influenced current processing time, feedback inspection time, and the cardiac acceleration and deceleration responses. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2000 APA, all rights reserved)