Desmet, C. , Deschrijver, E. , Fias, W. & Brass, M.
Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
It has been observed that the posterior frontomedian cortex (pFMC) is not only sensitive to the production of errors but also to the observation of human errors. Some researchers explained this finding by arguing that we internally simulate observed errors. This would implicate that the pFMC is only sensitive to errors that can be simulated. In a recent fMRI study we tested this prediction by comparing brain activity related to human errors and machine errors. We showed that the pFMC was even more strongly activated by machine errors than by human errors. In other words, errors that cannot be simulated evoke larger activation in the pFMC than errors that can be simulated. Further, we showed than an unexpected event, not related to error processing, revealed the most extensive activity in the pFMC. In sum, our data contradict the simulation hypothesis and support a view where the pFMC is related to violations of expectations.