A Level Psychology OCR Practice Exam

Which area of the brain was associated with correctly inhibiting responses on nogo trials?

1. Right inferior frontal cortex

2. Primary motor cortex

3. Occipital lobe

4. Prefrontal cortex

The correct answer is: Right inferior frontal cortex

The right inferior frontal cortex is known to play a crucial role in the inhibition of responses, particularly during tasks that require stopping or withholding a response, such as nogo trials. Research has shown that this area is activated in situations where there is a need to control impulsive actions or behaviors, making it fundamental to tasks that require inhibition. This region is often implicated in executive functions and decision-making, which includes assessing situations where a response must be suppressed. Studies using neuroimaging techniques have highlighted that the activation of the right inferior frontal cortex correlates with improved performance on tasks that require stopping an action, thus reinforcing the connection between this brain area and response inhibition. The other areas listed do not primarily function in the inhibition of responses. The primary motor cortex, for instance, is mostly involved in generating and executing motor commands rather than controlling them. The occipital lobe is dedicated primarily to processing visual information. Lastly, while the prefrontal cortex is associated with various higher cognitive functions including planning and decision making, it is the right inferior frontal cortex that has shown a direct link to the mechanism of inhibiting responses on nogo trials specifically.