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Event-Related Potentials (ERPs) Reflecting Feedback and Error Processing in the Context of Education

Published Online:February 08, 2017https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000264

Abstract

Abstract. Feedback allows individuals to detect errors and to adapt subsequent behavior in order to ensure goal achievement. As such, feedback provides rich and essential information for human learning. Consequently, feedback is of great importance for education and has been extensively studied by educational researchers (see Dion & Restrepo, 2016). One way to examine feedback and error processing is by means of event-related potentials (ERPs) in the human electroencephalography (EEG). The aim of this commentary is to portray two ERPs which have been directly linked to feedback and error processing in the human brain, namely the feedback-related negativity (FRN) and the error-related negativity (ERN). Firstly, the core empirical findings regarding the FRN/ERN are described, followed by a brief outline of two theories accounting for both ERPs. Finally, the potential of the FRN/ERN in advancing our understanding of feedback and error processing in the context of learning and instruction is discussed.

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