Rethinking Executive Function and Its Development

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 942-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Doebel
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Mental Content ◽  
Component Process ◽  
Process View ◽  
Component Processes ◽  
Working Memory Updating ◽  
General Component

Research on executive function in early childhood has flourished in recent years. Much of this work is premised on a view of development of executive function as the emergence of a set of domain-general component processes (e.g., working memory updating, inhibitory control, shifting). This view has shaped how we think about relations between executive function and other aspects of development, the role of the environment in executive-function development, and how best to improve executive function in children who struggle with it. However, there are conceptual and empirical reasons to doubt that executive function should be defined in this way. I argue that the development of executive function is better understood as the emergence of skills in using control in the service of specific goals. Such goals activate and are influenced by mental content such as knowledge, beliefs, norms, values, and preferences that are acquired with development and are important to consider in understanding children’s performance on measures of executive function. This account better explains empirical findings than the component-process view; leads to specific, testable hypotheses; and has implications for theory, measurement, and interventions.

scholarly journals Rethinking executive function development

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sabine Doebel
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Mental Content ◽  
Memory Updating ◽  
Component Processes ◽  
Working Memory Updating ◽  
General Component

Research on executive function in early childhood has flourished in recent years. Much of this work is premised on a view of executive function development as the emergence of a set of domain general component processes (e.g., working memory updating, inhibitory control, and shifting). This view has shaped how we think about relations between executive function and other aspects of development, the role of the environment in executive function development, and how best to improve executive function in children who struggle with it. However, there are conceptual and empirical reasons to doubt that executive function should be defined in this way. I argue executive function development is better understood as the emergence of skills in using control in the service of specific goals. Such goals activate and are influenced by mental content like knowledge, beliefs, norms, values, and preferences that are acquired with development and are important to consider in understanding children’s executive function performance. This account better explains empirical findings than the components view; leads to specific, testable hypotheses; and has implications for theory, measurement, and interventions.

scholarly journals Cool and hot executive functions at 5 years old as predictors of physical and relational aggression between 5 and 6 years old

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-165
Author(s):  
Sarah E. O’Toole ◽  
Stella Tsermentseli ◽  
Sajid Humayun ◽  
Claire P. Monks
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Early Childhood ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Relational Aggression ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Delay Of Gratification ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Typically Developing Children

To study the role of executive function (EF) in the early development of aggression, the role of cool and hot EF skills at 5 years old, in the development of physical and relational aggression between 5 and 6 years old, was explored. Typically developing children ( N = 80) completed tasks assessing their cool (inhibition, working memory, planning) and hot EF (affective decision making, delay of gratification) skills at 5 years old. Longitudinal data were collected from teachers that rated children’s aggression when they were 5, 5.5, and 6 years old. Inhibition at 5 years old predicted changes in physical and relational aggression between 5 and 6 years old. Early cool EF, but not hot EF, may therefore be associated with aggression and inhibitory control specifically with changes in aggression during early childhood.

The Role of Executive Function and Self-Regulation in the Development of Computational Thinking

2021 ◽  
pp. 64-83
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Kazakoff Myers
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
School Readiness ◽  
21St Century ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Computational Thinking ◽  
Thinking Skills ◽  
Early Childhood Curriculum ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter summarizes theoretical connections between computational thinking through learning to code, self-regulation, and executive function and discusses why it is important to continue exploring the intersection of executive function, self-regulation, and computational thinking, including the need to revisit the socio-cultural underpinnings of foundational self-regulation, executive function, and school readiness research. As an example, findings from a 2014 study that explored the relationship between self-regulation and computational thinking when learning to code are shared. Research supports the idea of teaching computational thinking skills within an integrated early childhood curriculum to support the development of well-prepared citizens for the 21st century by drawing on the connections between executive function, self-regulation, and computational thinking.

scholarly journals Role of prefrontal cortex and the midbrain dopamine system in working memory updating

2012 ◽  
Vol 109 (49) ◽  
pp. 19900-19909 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. D'Ardenne ◽  
N. Eshel ◽  
J. Luka ◽  
A. Lenartowicz ◽  
L. E. Nystrom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Dopamine System ◽  
Memory Updating ◽  
Working Memory Updating ◽  
Midbrain Dopamine

Exploring the Central Executive in Situation Awareness

2010 ◽  
Vol 106 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdrabo Moghazy Soliman
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Situation Awareness ◽  
Executive Control ◽  
Global Assessment ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Central Executive ◽  
Driving Simulation ◽  
Assessment Technique

Despite its significance, the central executive is the least explored component of working memory, particularly in complicated contexts. Exp. 1 investigated the role of executive control of working memory in situation awareness in a real-life driving simulation. Exp. 2 examined the extent to which taxing the central executive might affect situation awareness. High, Medium, and Low Situation Awareness groups were formed as assessed using the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique. Executive function was measured using several tests. Results from Exp. 1 demonstrated that the Low Situation Awareness group performed significantly worse on all executive function tasks compared to High and Medium Situation Awareness groups. Findings from Exp. 2 suggested that concurrent load on the central executive dramatically affected the Low Situation Awareness group but not the High Situation Awareness group: the former had significantly more driving violations under central executive load.

scholarly journals The Role of Critical Thinking and Executive Function in Misconceptions in Psychology

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-21
Author(s):  
Heru Astikasari Setya Murti ◽  
Thomas Dicky Hastjarjo ◽  
Bhina Patria
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Critical Thinking ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Inhibitory Control ◽  
Digit Span ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Card Sorting

Misconception in psychology is a belief that is broadly contradicting to scientific evidence and is particularlycommon in the field of psychology. It is important to study misconceptions in psychology considering thecontribution of the effort to provide education or to demonstrate rejection of fallacies of popular ideas/themes.Misconceptions in psychology relates to critical thinking as well as the executive function (EF) that controls andregulates cognitive processes. This research aims to determine the role of critical thinking and EF (cognitiveflexibility, working memory, and inhibitory control) with misconceptions in psychology. This study used non-experimental methods, using test (paper and pencil) and PEBL/ Psychology Experiment Building Language(computerized). The sampling technique used was convenience sampling. The subjects in this study were 153psychology students, consisting of 105 students from Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and 48 students fromUniversitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY). Instruments that were used for data collection were the misconception inpsychology test, critical thinking test, Wisconsin/Berg Card Sorting Test (WCST/BCST), Backward Digit Span,and Stroop Test. There is no correlation between cognitive flexibility and misconceptions in psychology, socognitive flexibility is not included in the calculation of hierarchical regression analysis. Based on the results ofhierarchical regression analysis, it can be concluded that the role of inhibitory control on psychologicalmisconceptions is 11.4%, ΔR2 = .114; b* = .33; t(149) = 4.52, p < .001; the role of working memory is 3%, ΔR2 =.030; b* = -.16; t(149) = -2.19, p = .03; and the role of critical thinking is 2.6%, ΔR2 = .026; b* = -.19; t(149) = -2.53, p = .01.

scholarly journals Musical Activities, Prosocial Behaviors, and Executive Function Skills of Kindergarten Children

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 205920432110548
Author(s):  
Beatriz Ilari ◽  
Susan Helfter ◽  
Tina Huynh ◽  
Alice Bowmer ◽  
Kathryn Mason ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Executive Function ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
Cognitive Flexibility ◽  
The United States ◽  
Kindergarten Children ◽  
Prosocial Behaviors ◽  
Prosocial Skills ◽  
Music Program

Prosocial behaviors and executive function are staples of child development. Engagement in music has been associated with enhanced prosocial behaviors and executive function skills in children and youth. Yet, research concerning the role of formal music programs in the development of these important behaviors and skills remains elusive. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the role of a 5-week music program on prosocial behaviors (instrumental helping and sharing) and executive function skills (cognitive flexibility and working memory/inhibition control) of 103 kindergarten children from two public schools in a large urban center in the United States, serving predominantly Latinx children from underserved communities. Our data suggested that the short music program positively influenced children's cognitive flexibility, but not working memory, nor prosocial skills (sharing and helping). Findings are discussed in light of earlier studies, methodological issues, and limitations, and in relation to developmental and cultural issues surrounding child participants. Implications for future research and practice are outlined.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document