Common mechanisms of executive attention underlie executive function and effortful control in children

AbstractOur review examines the current state of the research on hot executive function (EF), as contrasted with cool EF, with regard to the evidence for construct validity. Current theoretical discussions have examined the conceptual overlap among constructs such as hot EF, effortful control, self-control, and self-regulation. We explore this emerging literature with a focus on research questions, tasks, and methods. Finally, we consider the unresolved questions facing the study of hot EF, most notably the difficulty in determining the relative “heat” of a given task based on task content, testing context, and the individual differences among the participants. (JINS, 2014, 20, 1–5)

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Temperament, Development, and Personality

Current Directions in Psychological Science ◽

10.1111/j.1467-8721.2007.00505.x ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 207-212 ◽

Cited By ~ 385

Author(s):

Mary K. Rothbart

Keyword(s):

Neural Networks ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Behavior Problems ◽

Big Five ◽

Effortful Control ◽

Neural Function ◽

Executive Attention ◽

Big Five Traits ◽

Development Of Behavior

Understanding temperament is central to our understanding of development, and temperament constructs are linked to individual differences in both personality and underlying neural function. In this article, I review findings on the structure of temperament, its relation to the Big Five traits of personality, and its links to development and psychopathology. In addition, I discuss the relation of temperament to conscience, empathy, aggression, and the development of behavior problems, and describe the relation between effortful control and neural networks of executive attention. Finally, I present research on training executive attention.

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Individual Differences in Attention and Intelligence: A United Cognitive/Psychometric Approach

Journal of Intelligence ◽

10.3390/jintelligence9030034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 34

Author(s):

Andrew R. A. Conway ◽

Kristof Kovacs ◽

Han Hao ◽

Kevin P. Rosales ◽

Jean-Paul Snijder

Keyword(s):

Executive Function ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Cognitive Ability ◽

Neural Development ◽

Latent Variables ◽

Research Progress ◽

General Factor ◽

Executive Attention ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Multiple Domain

Process overlap theory (POT) is a new theoretical framework designed to account for the general factor of intelligence (g). According to POT, g does not reflect a general cognitive ability. Instead, g is the result of multiple domain-general executive attention processes and multiple domain-specific processes that are sampled in an overlapping manner across a battery of intelligence tests. POT explains several benchmark findings on human intelligence. However, the precise nature of the executive attention processes underlying g remains unclear. In the current paper, we discuss challenges associated with building a theory of individual differences in attention and intelligence. We argue that the conflation of psychological theories and statistical models, as well as problematic inferences based on latent variables, impedes research progress and prevents theory building. Two studies designed to illustrate the unique features of POT relative to previous approaches are presented. In Study 1, a simulation is presented to illustrate precisely how POT accounts for the relationship between executive attention processes and g. In Study 2, three datasets from previous studies are reanalyzed (N = 243, N = 234, N = 945) and reveal a discrepancy between the POT simulated model and the unity/diversity model of executive function. We suggest that this discrepancy is largely due to methodological problems in previous studies but also reflects different goals of research on individual differences in attention. The unity/diversity model is designed to facilitate research on executive function and dysfunction associated with cognitive and neural development and disease. POT is uniquely suited to guide and facilitate research on individual differences in cognitive ability and the investigation of executive attention processes underlying g.

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