Cognitive control across adolescence: Dynamic adjustments and mind-wandering.
Máté Gyurkovics1, Tom Stafford1, Liat Levita1
1Department of Psychology.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. General
|October 11, 2019
Summary
Cognitive control adjustment, measured by the congruency sequence effect (CSE), shows no significant developmental changes in adolescence. However, response inhibition improved with age, and mind-wandering increased, aligning with cognitive resource theories.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Cognitive control, crucial for goal-directed behavior amidst distractions, is thought to mature throughout adolescence.
- Understanding the developmental trajectory of cognitive control adjustment and its relation to attention lapses (mind-wandering) is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the development of dynamic cognitive control adjustment during adolescence.
- To examine the relationship between cognitive control adjustment and mind-wandering frequency.
- To assess age-related changes in response inhibition and mind-wandering.
Main Methods:
- Four age groups (12-27 years) completed flanker and Simon tasks to measure the congruency sequence effect (CSE).
- A Go/No-Go task with thought probes assessed mind-wandering (MW).
- Confound-minimized task variants were employed.
Main Results:
- The CSE was present but unaffected by age in both tasks.
- CSE magnitude in the flanker task negatively correlated with mind-wandering with awareness.
- Response inhibition improved significantly with age; mind-wandering frequency increased with age.
Conclusions:
- Behavioral measures of cognitive control adjustment (CSE) do not show substantial developmental changes in adolescence.
- Response inhibition develops significantly through adolescence.
- Findings support cognitive resource views of mind-wandering and have implications for conflict monitoring theories.
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