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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 24, 2026

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Multimodal Protocol for Assessing Metacognition and Self-Regulation in Adults with Learning Difficulties

Published on: September 27, 2020

Executive functions and self-regulation.

Wilhelm Hofmann¹, Brandon J Schmeichel, Alan D Baddeley

¹Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, 5807 South Woodlawn Avenue, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. Wilhelm.Hofmann@ChicagoBooth.edu

Trends in Cognitive Sciences

|February 17, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study bridges social and cognitive psychology, showing how executive functions like working memory support self-regulation. Training these functions may improve self-regulation in at-risk individuals.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Cognitive Neuroscience

Background:

Self-regulation is crucial for adaptive behavior, studied separately in social, personality, and cognitive psychology.
Existing research highlights a disconnect between these disciplinary approaches to self-regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

To advocate for interdisciplinary communication between social and cognitive psychology regarding self-regulation.
To elucidate the role of executive functions in self-regulation and explore interventions.

Main Methods:

Literature review integrating findings from social, personality, and cognitive psychology.
Analysis of executive functioning components (working memory, inhibition, task-switching).

Main Results:

Executive functions, including working memory, behavioral inhibition, and task-switching, are foundational to successful self-regulation.
Temporary deficits in executive functions correlate with situational risk factors in self-regulation.

Conclusions:

Enhanced communication between psychological disciplines can advance the understanding of self-regulation.
Executive function training shows promise for ameliorating self-regulation deficits in vulnerable populations.