The Dual Cognitive Mechanisms of Inhibition and Updating: A Model-Based Study

Effective behavior relies on two core executive functions: inhibition and updating, both critical for goal-directed action. While increasing evidence suggests that inhibition underpins behavioral flexibility, its precise role within updating process remains unclear. This study introduces a dual-mechanism model to characterize the interplay between inhibition and updating (Dual Mechanisms of Inhibition and Updating, DMIU). Specifically, inhibition operates as the shared component, governed by bottom-up reactive control, to filter out irrelevant information from entering working memory—contributing to the flexibility of updating. In contrast, updating-specific processes constitute the distinct component, regulated by top-down proactive control, and serve to maintain task-relevant content in working memory—ensuring the stability of updating. To test this model, we developed an innovative Reference-back Inhibition Joint paradigm and applied hierarchical drift diffusion modeling (HDDM) across two online experiments. Experiment 1 examined the precise shared and distinct processes of inhibition and updating through the lens of working memory gating. Experiment 2 further investigated whether these share and distinct processes are governed by proactive or reactive control by manipulating interstimulus interval (ISI) durations. The results supported our theoretical model: shared processes (e.g., gate opening and substitution) were governed by bottom-up reactive control, whereas distinct processes (e.g., gate closing and updating mode) were driven by top-down proactive control. Together, these findings offer behavioral evidence for our dual-mechanism account of inhibition and updating, refine the bifactorial model of executive function, and provide novel insights into the working memory gating mechanism.