Week 4 cognitive psychology: executive factions and education Flashcards
what areas are cognitive psychologists interested in
-memory
-language
-attention
-problem solving/ decision making
-perception
what is the executive function
- set of underlying mental processes required for controlling behaviour, making it possible to achieve chosen goals.
what does the executive function include
-working memory (hold information in the mind for the purpose of completing a task)
-attentional control (being able to attention to one thing and not another)
- inhibitory control (being able to stop an action)
- cognitive flexibility (adapting behaviour and thinking in response to the environment)
working memory
our ability to pay conscious attention to information
attentional control
being able to choose what you pay attention to and what you ignore
inhibitory control
being able to stop an action
selective attention
focusing on one thing over another as we have limited capacity
divided attention
focusing on many different things instead of one thing
what behaviours represent executive function
-awareness
-planning
-goal setting
-self initiation
-working memory
what areas of the brain control EF
-DLPFC (dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) , OFC (orbitofrontal cortex) , ACC (anterior cingulate cortex)
development of EF
- EF declines during aging
- depends on cognitive process being measured
how to measure EF
- Go/ No-go
- Stroop
- Set switching
- Attention task
- Gambling task
- Risk task
factors influencing development of EF
Environmental factors - social interactions, parent styles, autonomy support, teaching strategies in school
Child factors - Brain development, age, language skills