Cool and Hot Executive Functions in The Brain Network: Insight From a New Assessment Instrument for Measuring Cool and Hot Inhibition

This study explores cool and hot executive functions in brain networks using the Cool/Hot Simon Task, which distinguishes between neutral (cool) and emotional/motivational (hot) conditions by varying stimuli while maintaining a consistent task procedure. One hundred thirty-eight participants completed the Cool/Hot Simon Task and brain imaging. Behavioral results showed that reaction time was faster in the cool condition than in the hot condition, indicating that emotional stimuli influence performance. Within the hot condition, we further distinguished between preference (approach) and aversion (avoidance) stimuli, with faster reaction time and a stronger Simon effect for preference stimuli. Brain network analyses found only significant correlation between the hot Simon effect in the preference condition, which correlated positively with clustering coefficient, global efficiency, and local efficiency, and negatively with characteristic path length, suggesting higher neural integration efficiency when processing positive and preferred stimuli. Region-based analyses showed that the cool Simon effect was associated with nodal efficiency in the left superior parietal lobule. In contrast, hot Simon effect was associated with nodal efficiency in the left inferior frontal gyrus and superior temporal gyrus, emphasizing the role of emotion and motivative processing. The Cool/Hot Simon Task provides new insights and theoretical foundations for the assessment of the hot executive function.