Empirical Tests of a Brain-Based Model of Executive Function Development
Sammy Perone1, Daniel J Plebanek2, Megan G Lorenz3
1Washington State University.
Child Development
|June 20, 2017
Summary
Early experiences with shapes and colors, with or without labels, can significantly improve young children's executive function (EF). This research helps 3-year-olds overcome challenges in tasks requiring rule switching, crucial for cognitive development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Child Development
Background:
- Executive function (EF) is critical for cognitive development and goal-directed behavior.
- Young children, particularly 3-year-olds, struggle with tasks requiring cognitive flexibility, such as the dimensional change card sort task.
- A brain-based model suggests specific experiences can enhance EF in early childhood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test predictions from a brain-based model of EF development.
- To identify specific early experiences that strengthen executive function in 3-year-olds.
- To investigate methods for improving performance on the dimensional change card sort task.
Main Methods:
- The study involved 54 three-year-old children.
- Three experiments were conducted to test the effects of different types of experience (shapes with labels, colors without labels, colors inducing dimensional attention).
- Performance on the dimensional change card sort task was assessed before and after interventions.
Main Results:
- Experience with shapes and the label "shape" improved children's ability to switch rules.
- Experience with colors, even without labels, also enhanced performance on the task.
- Exposure to colors induced dimensional attention, a key component of EF.
Conclusions:
- Early, targeted experiences can significantly bolster executive function in young children.
- Interventions focusing on shape and color recognition can help remediate EF deficits in 3-year-olds.
- Findings have implications for designing effective early intervention programs for cognitive development.
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