Executive Functioning (EFs) Flashcards
What are executive functions?
Mental processes needed when concentration and/or attention are required. They are needed in situations where going on “automatic” would be ill-advised.
What are the three core executive functions (EFs)?
- Inhibition
- Working memory
- Cognitive flexibility
What are some other executive functions?
Reasoning, problem-solving, and planning. These are built upon the three core EFs
What is inhibitory control (of attention)?
○ Controlling one’s attention, behavior, thoughts, and/or emotions.
○ Enables us to selectively attend to something while ignoring other stimuli.
Why is inhibitory control important?
Without it, we would constantly act on impulse, conditioned responses, or environmental stimuli.
What is selective attention, and why is it important?
○ Choosing to ignore certain stimuli and attend to others based on goals or intentions.
○ Important in situations with many competing stimuli, like a party or a classroom.
What is involuntary attention?
Attention that is driven by the properties of a stimulus, attracting our attention whether we want it to or not.
What is self-control, and what does it include?
○ The aspect of inhibitory control that deals with controlling one’s behavior and emotions.
○ Includes:
■ Discipline to stay on task despite distractions
■ Delaying gratification
What is working memory (WM)?
Holding information in mind and mentally manipulating it. Distinct from short-term memory, which only holds information.
What are the two types of working memory?
○ Verbal WM
○ Nonverbal (visual-spatial) WM
How do WM and inhibitory control relate to each other?
They support and influence each other. Inhibitory control aids WM by suppressing irrelevant information.
What is cognitive flexibility?
○ Being able to change perspectives and adjust to new demands.
○ Requires being flexible enough to adjust to changing demands or priorities.
○ Thinking “outside the box”.
How does cognitive flexibility integrate other EFs?
It integrates both inhibitory control and working memory.
How do EFs impact our lives?
Better EFs are associated with:
○ Better mental and physical health
○ Improved quality of life
○ Greater school and job success
○ Stronger marital harmony
○ Increased public safety
What is the difference between “hot” and “cold” EFs?
○ Hot EFs: Related to emotion, reward, and motivation.
○ Cold EFs: Related to purely cognitive information processing.
What brain regions are involved in hot and cold EFs?
○ Hot EFs: Orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, perigenual and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ventral ACC).
○ Cold EFs: Lateral prefrontal cortex, dorsolateral and ventral prefrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex.
What are the two main functional connectivity branches in the prefrontal-cingular network model?
- Connects the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) - associated with cold EFs.
- Connects the orbital-medial PFC, ventral ACC, and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) - associated with hot EFs.
Are hot and cold EFs completely separate and unrelated?
No. While different brain regions are associated with each, they are not functionally limited to one or the other, and the two types of EFs interact.
What is sustained attention (vigilance)?
The ability to maintain focus on a particular section of the environment for an extended time, without being distracted.
What are some examples of sustained attention?
Reading a book, monitoring an environment for changes, studying
What is divided attention?
The ability to focus on and process multiple tasks at once (multitasking).
What are the limitations of divided attention?
○ Mental capacity is limited and divided among tasks being performed.
○ Performance on each task suffers when attention is divided.
○ Cognitive processes may need to shift between tasks, reducing efficiency.
What is selective attention?
Focusing cognitive processes on a specific task or aspect of the environment while filtering out irrelevant or distracting stimuli.
How does selective attention benefit us?
Allows us to efficiently process information and avoid being overwhelmed by sensory input
What is inattentional blindness?
Failure to notice an event because attention is focused on another task, highlighting limitations in attentional capacity.
What is change blindness?
Failure to detect changes in the presence, identity, or location of objects in a scene, because attention is limited and focused elsewhere.
What is consciousness, and what processes are involved?
A level of responsiveness of the mind, involving at least:
○ Arousal
○ Perception
○ Attention
○ Working memory
Does consciousness simply mean being responsive to stimuli or able to move?
No. Most definitions go beyond basic responsiveness and consider it a function of numerous interacting systems
What is known about the brain regions essential for consciousness?
Little is known, but the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), medial frontal cortex, posterior parietal cortex, and posterior cingulate cortex are inactive during unconscious states.
