Proactive control in early and middle childhood: An ERP study
1University of Alberta, P217 Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
|April 25, 2017
Summary
Young children proactively use cognitive control when switching tasks, with older children showing more effective engagement. This study tracked brain activity in 4-5 and 7-8 year olds during a task-switching experiment.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Child Development
Background:
- Cognitive control significantly develops during the transition to school age.
- Proactive deployment of cognitive control is crucial for adapting to new tasks and environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate proactive cognitive control in 4-5-year-olds and 7-8-year-olds.
- To examine age-related differences in the neural mechanisms underlying task-switching.
Main Methods:
- A cued task-switching paradigm was used with 17 4-5-year-olds and 22 7-8-year-olds.
- Event-related potentials (P2, P3) and slow-waves were analyzed following cues and stimuli.
- Behavioral performance and electrophysiological measures were recorded during the task.
Main Results:
- Both age groups demonstrated proactive cognitive control, indicated by P3 and slow-wave amplitudes on switch trials.
- Children showed processing facilitation (shorter P2 latencies) at stimulus onset during switch trials.
- Older children exhibited enhanced performance and larger cue-P2 amplitudes, suggesting more efficient proactive control.
Conclusions:
- Both younger and older children engage cognitive control proactively during task switching.
- Middle childhood is a critical period for refining proactive cognitive control mechanisms.
- Electrophysiological measures effectively capture age-related differences in cognitive control development.
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