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Can an unpredictable childhood environment enhance working memory? Testing the sensitized-specialization hypothesis
Ethan S Young1, Vladas Griskevicius2, Jeffry A Simpson1
1Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota.
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
|February 2, 2018
Summary
Childhood environments shape cognitive functions, not just impair them. Unpredictable upbringing enhances working memory for rapidly changing situations, especially in uncertain contexts, supporting the sensitized-specialization hypothesis.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
- Evolutionary psychology
Background:
- Adverse childhood environments are often linked to cognitive impairments.
- Evolutionary-developmental theory proposes cognitive specialization based on early environments.
- The sensitized-specialization hypothesis posits context-dependent cognitive advantages.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test the sensitized-specialization hypothesis in the domain of working memory.
- To investigate how early environmental predictability influences working memory facets.
- To examine if cognitive enhancements emerge in uncertain current contexts.
Main Methods:
- Experimental design examining working memory.
- Comparison of individuals from unpredictable versus predictable childhood environments.
- Assessment of working memory performance in varying current contexts.
Main Results:
- Growing up in unpredictable environments positively associated with working memory aspects beneficial for changing situations.
- These working memory enhancements were observed specifically in uncertain current contexts.
- Findings challenge the notion of uniform cognitive impairment from adverse childhoods.
Conclusions:
- Childhood environments actively shape cognitive functions, leading to specialized advantages.
- The sensitized-specialization hypothesis is supported by findings on working memory.
- Cognitive development is adaptive, with enhanced abilities emerging in response to environmental demands.
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