An event-related potentials study of identity positive and negative priming

Although extensive research on negative priming has been conducted using behavioural measures, little is known about its brain correlates. Moreover, results from this scarce number of studies are rather contradictory. The aim of this study is to further explore the temporal course of negative and positive priming in the brain by means of an identity task in which participants had to recognize letters. Results showed that positive priming modulated both reaction times and brain waves in the 600–800 ms time-interval. These effects might be related to memory processes. However, whereas negative priming was reflected in slowed reaction times, no brain wave modulations were found. This pattern of results remarks the influence of task parameters when addressing the study of negative priming.