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Subjective experience of difficulty depends on multiple cues.

ABSTRACT: Human cognition is characterized by subjective experiences that go along with our actions, but the nature and stability of these experiences remain largely unclear. In the current report, the subjective experience of difficulty is studied and it is proposed that this experience is constructed by integrating information from multiple cues. Such an account can explain the tight relationship between primary task performance and subjective difficulty, while allowing for dissociations between both to occur. Confirming this hypothesis, response conflict, reaction time and response repetition were identified as variables that contribute to the experience of difficulty. Trials that were congruent, fast or required the same response as the previous trial were more frequently rated as easy than trials that were incongruent, slow or required a different response as the previous trial. Furthermore, in line with theoretical accounts that relate metacognition to learning, a three day training procedure showed that the influence of these variables on subjective difficulty judgments can be changed. Results of the current study are discussed in relation to work on meta-memory and to recent theoretical advancements in the understanding of subjective confidence.

SUBMITTER: Desender K

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5347002 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Subjective experience of difficulty depends on multiple cues.

Desender Kobe K Van Opstal Filip F Van den Bussche Eva E

Scientific reports 20170313

Human cognition is characterized by subjective experiences that go along with our actions, but the nature and stability of these experiences remain largely unclear. In the current report, the subjective experience of difficulty is studied and it is proposed that this experience is constructed by integrating information from multiple cues. Such an account can explain the tight relationship between primary task performance and subjective difficulty, while allowing for dissociations between both to ...[more]

PMID: 28287137

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Project description:BackgroundPolycomb group (PcG) proteins dynamically define cellular identities through the epigenetic repression of key developmental genes. In Drosophila, cis-regulatory regions termed PcG response elements (PREs) act as nucleation sites for PcG proteins to create large repressive PcG domains that are marked by trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3). In addition to an action in cis, PREs can interact over long distances, thereby enhancing PcG dependent silencing. How PcG domains are established, which factors limit their propagation in cis, and how long range interactions of PREs in trans affect the chromatin structure is largely unknown.Principal findingsWe demonstrate that the insertion of a PRE-containing transgene in the Drosophila genome generates an artificial PcG domain and we analyze its organization by quantitative ChIP and ChIP-on-chip experiments. Intriguingly, a boundary element and known insulator proteins do not necessarily interfere with spreading of H3K27me3. Instead, domain borders correlate with the presence of promoter regions bound by RNA Polymerase II and active chromatin marks. In contrast, genes that are silent during early fly development get included within the PcG domain and this incorporation interferes with gene activation at later developmental stages. Moreover, trans-interaction of the transgenic PRE with its homologous endogenous PRE results in increased PcG binding, correlating with reinforced silencing of genes within the domain borders.ConclusionsOur results suggest that higher-order organization of PcG-bound chromatin can stabilize gene silencing within PcG domains. Further we propose that multi-protein complexes associated with active promoters are able to define the limits of PcG domains. Future work aimed to pinpoint the factors providing this barrier function will be required to understand the precise molecular mechanism by which active promoter regions can act as boundaries to stop spreading of H3K27me3.

Dataset Information

Subjective experience of difficulty depends on multiple cues.

Publications

Subjective experience of difficulty depends on multiple cues.

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