Computational Modeling of Proactive, Reactive, and Attentional Dynamics in Cognitive Control

Abstract

We developed a novel Proactive Reactive and Attentional Dynamics (PRAD) computational model designed to dissect the latent mechanisms of inhibitory control in human cognition. Leveraging data from over 7,500 participants in the NIH Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, we demonstrate that PRAD surpasses traditional models by integrating proactive, reactive, and attentional components of inhibitory control. Employing a hierarchical Bayesian framework, PRAD offers a granular view of the dynamics underpinning action execution and inhibition, provides debiased estimates of stop-signal reaction times, and elucidates individual and temporal variability in cognitive control processes. Our findings reveal significant intra-individual variability, challenging conventional assumptions of random variability across trials. By addressing nonergodicity and systematically accounting for the multicomponential nature of cognitive control, PRAD advances our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms driving individual differences in cognitive control and provides a sophisticated computational framework for dissecting dynamic cognitive processes across diverse populations. Our integrative approach significantly advances psychological theory about the multiple neurocognitive processes underlying cognitive control. We also demonstrate the relevance of our theoretical and modeling framework to understand the cognitive, neural, clinical, and exposomic factors related to cognitive control.