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Disentangling the Respective Contribution of Task Selection and Task Execution to Self-Directed Cognitive Control
Aurélien Frick1,2, Maria A Brandimonte2, Nicolas Chevalier1
1University of Edinburgh.
Child Development
|December 22, 2020
Summary
Cognitive control in children involves separable task selection and task execution processes. Task selection is more demanding than task execution, and both are crucial for self-directed task performance.
Area of Science:
- Developmental psychology
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- Cognitive control is vital for development, encompassing task selection and execution.
- The separability and distinct contributions of these processes to task switching remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the dissociability of task selection and task execution in children.
- To determine how each process contributes to task switching performance and self-directed control.
Main Methods:
- Employed the double registration procedure to differentiate task selection and execution in 180 children (4-5, 7-8, 10-11 years old).
- Analyzed mixing and switch costs associated with each process.
Main Results:
- Task selection incurred significant mixing and switch costs, particularly in younger children.
- Task execution primarily showed switch costs across all age groups.
- Both processes demonstrated variability based on task self-directedness demands.
Conclusions:
- Task selection and task execution are distinct cognitive processes with differential performance costs.
- Despite their dissociation, both task selection and execution are essential for developing self-directed control in children.
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