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Do Children Need Adult Support During Sociodramatic Play to Develop Executive Functions? Experimental Evidence
Nikolai Veresov1, Aleksander Veraksa2,3, Margarita Gavrilova2
1School of Education Culture & Society, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Frontiers in Psychology
|December 23, 2021
Summary
Children benefit from educator support in play for executive function development. Adult-led play positively impacts overall executive functions, while adult assistance specifically enhances inhibitory control.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Child Development
Background:
- The cultural-historical approach emphasizes play's role in cognitive development.
- Vygotsky identified key features of children's play: imaginary situations, role-taking, and rule-following.
- Complex play tasks require support for developing executive functions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the necessity and extent of educator support in children's play for executive function development.
- To compare the impact of different adult intervention modes on executive functions.
Main Methods:
- Experimental study with four sociodramatic play conditions: child-led (with adult help), adult-led, free play, and a control group (drawing activity).
- Varied levels of adult intervention, from non-involvement to full organization of play.
- Assessment of executive function development across different play conditions.
Main Results:
- Educator involvement in play significantly influences executive function development, with varying effects on different components.
- Free play without adult intervention did not benefit executive function development compared to adult-involved conditions.
- Adult-led play positively impacted general executive function development.
- Adult assistance in organizing play specifically enhanced inhibitory control.
Conclusions:
- The level and type of adult intervention in children's play are crucial for executive function development.
- Educational practices should consider tailored adult support to maximize play's potential for cognitive growth.
- Findings support the cultural-historical approach to understanding play-based learning.
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