The Experience Of Brain Power During A Continuous Performance Task: Exploring The Influence Of Task- And Person-Based Factors

The experience of brain power is a crucial element of collective flourishing and the regulation of cognition. However, essential questions regarding its mechanisms remain poorly understood, particularly concerning how person- and task-based factors influence the experience. This study explored how the experience of brain power during a continuous performance task (CPT) is associated with person-based (i.e., ADHD symptoms) and task-based (i.e., manipulations in interstimulus intervals (ISI)) factors. Participants reported the presence of ADHD symptoms and then were randomly assigned to one of three CPT ISI conditions (1000, 3000, or 6000 ms). Two-thirds of the way through the CPT, participants rated their experience of brain power. Both person- and task-based factors influenced the experience of brain power on two psychometrically distinct facets of the experience (task-elicited and volitionally exerted). Both factors interact to influence CPT performance. Implications of the findings and future directions are discussed.