Typical executive function development Flashcards
1
Q
EF
A
- set of processes that underlie the ability to control our thought & actions
- inhibition, WM, shfiting
- function/abilitry sustained by various mechanisms/processes
- nature of processes: effortful, top-down, goal-direct, acts on thought & actions
- situations where processes are used: novel situations, situations requiring flexibility
2
Q
diamond (2013) on EFs
extra reading
A
EFs family of top-down processes needed when you have to pay attention/not automation
3
Q
unity and diversity model
A
- Miyake et al. (2000)
- diff tasks use similar functions
- all tasks rely on general EFs but some might be more important for certain tasks than others
4
Q
best & miller (2010) relating to university and diversity model
extra reading
A
- hughes (1998) and welsh et al. (1991) emphasise independence of factor (attentional flexibility, inhibitory control, WM)
- lehto et al. (2013) found university and diversity view best fit data from children aged 8-13
5
Q
updating/WM
A
- holding important info or your ‘goal’ in mind
- manipulating info in your head
- lab - digit span, spatial span
- WM: central executive as having to update throughout tasks
6
Q
inhibition
A
- ignoring distracting info or suppressing unwanted responses
- lab - go/no-go tas, stroop paradigm
- in some situations it is easy to stop yourself
- inhibition difficult when automatic or salient
7
Q
diamond (2013) on inhibition
extra reading
A
- without inhibitory control, conditioned responses would take over
- ability to exercise inhibitory control creates possibility of change and choice
- cognitive inhibition = suppressing mental representations
- self-control = resisting temptations and not acting impulsively
8
Q
cognitive flexibility/shifting
A
- responding to the same thing in diff ways depending on the context
- lab: dimensional change card sort test, task-switching paradigm
9
Q
diamond (2013) on shifting
extra reading
A
- closely linked to creativity
- allows us to change perspectives spatially or interpersonally
- involves changing how we think about something
- involves being flexible enough to adjust to changed demands or priorities, to admit you were wrong, and to take advantage of sudden, unexpected opportunities
- family of tasks includes design fluency, verbal fluency, and category fluency
10
Q
importance/outcomes of EF
A
- early EF skills are a predictor of later academic & social success
- better physical health, personal finance, less likely substance use, academic achievement
11
Q
diamong (2013) on impact of EF
extra reading
A
- moffitt et al. (2011): better inhibitory control aged 3-11 less likely to make risky choices in smoking or taking drugs, better physical and mental health, earn more
- once controlled for IQ, gender, SES, family background while growing up
- essential for successful schooling
12
Q
infants & EF
A
- first signs of cognitive control at 8-9m
- consolidated at 12m
- can be seen by A not B and detour reach
13
Q
toddlers & preschoolers on EF
2-5y
A
- dramatic improvements across all aspects
- WM: spin the pots
- inhibition: day/night stroop
- shifting: DCCS
14
Q
garon et al. (2008) on preschoolers and
EF
extra reading
A
- reviewed EF literature during preschool period using integrative framework
- framework considers EF to be unitary construct with dissociable components (Miyake et al., 2000)
- central executive involved in all EF operations
- changes in EF during latter half of preschool period appear to be due to development of attention and integration of component EFs
15
Q
preschoolers & WM
hughes & ensor (2007)
A
- spin the pots
- find stickers hidden in pots - shouldn’t go back to that pot to find another sticker
- performance improves between 2 & 4 yrs
16
Q
preschoolers on inhibition
gerstadt et al. (1994)
A
- day/night stroop
- performance improves 4.5 & 6 yrs but still slight delay
- arguably could be impacted by WM which is why there is a control condition
- 90% accuracy for control even at a young age
17
Q
preschoolers and shifting
zelazo (2006)
A
- DCCS
- colour game
- shape game
- passing = sorting 4/5 cards correctly
- dramatic improvement in performance between 3 & 4 years
18
Q
mid-childhood and EF
5-11y
A
- improvements in WM & inhibition
- shifting is more complicated
19
Q
WM in mid-childhood
siegel & ryan (1989)
A
- sentence and counting span tasks
- sentence: after certain number of trials asked to recall the words, increase number of sentences until can’t anymote
- counting: count number of yellow dots remember this sequence until can’t anymore
- performance improving throughout primary school years
20
Q
inhibition in mid-childhood
li et al. (2009)
A
- indicate colour of central circle
- version of flanker
- measure RT diffs between same & diff colours for central & outer circles
- RT diffs decreases with age
- rapid improvement from about 7-20 then flattens off, slowly increases over age from ~40
21
Q
mid-childhood across all EF components
huizinga et al. (2006)
A
- WM continues to improve through teenage years
- shifting just as good by 15 as 21 so develops earlier
- inhibitions development changes depending on type of task but all tend to have developed by 15
22
Q
challenges and outstanding questions when relating to typical development of EF
A
- EFs are hard to isolate from other processes
- same tasks can’t be used across all age groups
- still a long way from understanding what is driving these developmental changes
23
Q
EF across cultures
jukes et al. (2024)
A
- measurement of EFs in children likely to be affected by cultural preferences
- motivation and compliance
- interpersonal engagement
- contextualised vs academic thinking
- cultural notions of speed and time
- willingness to be silly, incorrect, or do the opposite
- subject-matter famimliarity
24
Q
neural basis of EF - traditional view
A
- frontal lobes - PFC
- frontal lobe damage produces “dysexecutive syndrome”
25
Q
neural basis of EF - modern view
A
- lesions or underdevelopment of brain structures or pathways involved in the circuits
- abnormal NT activity within the circuits
26
Q
grey matter
A
contains cell bodies, dendrites & axon terminals of neurons, so it is where all synapses are
27
Q
white matter
A
made up of myelinated axons connecting diff parts of grey matter to each other
28
Q
grey matter development
A
- prefrontal cortex: latest to undergo synaptogenesis, peak at 2-4yrs
- synaptic pruning until early adulthood –> strengthening of relevant connections
- less maturation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
29
Q
white matter development
A
- nonlinear increase throughout childhood and adolescence
- likely driven by increases in myelination & axonal packing
- increases but tapers off (asymptote type of graph)
30
Q
connectivity development
A
- correlation between connections between brain areas
- changes with age, shift from childhood to adulthood
- short distance connections decrease with age
- long distance connections increase with age
31
Q
grey matter development & EF
adleman et al. (2002)
A
- 30 ppts aged 7-22
- colour-word stroop while in fMRI
- increased inhibition-related activity in fronal lobe with age e.g. adults recruited their frontal lobes more than children
32
Q
white matter development & EF
nagy et al. (2004)
A
- 23 ppts aged 7-18
- completed a visuospatial STM task
- underwent a structural MRI scan
- correlated task performance of myelination of white matter tracts
- STM ability related to myelination in areas of frontal lobe
33
Q
connectivity development & EF
hwang et al. (2010)
A
- 98 ppts aged 8-27
- performed antisaccade task while undergoing an fMRI scan
- look at connectivity by correlating activity in diff brain regions
- during a task that requires inhibition, children rely on short range connections in the parietal lobe, teenagers and adults rely on longer range connections from the frontal lobe to other areas of the brain
- strength of long range connections increases with age
34
Q
challenges and outstanding questions in relation to linking brain and EFs
A
- still relatively few studies linking improvements in EF with age to changes in the brain
- carrying out imagining studies with children is expensive and takes a lot of hard work
- does maturation of brain drive changes in behavioural performance, or does improvement in behavioural performance result in changes in the brain?
