Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2025
06:35
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
33.8K
Inhibitory control and memory guided planning during early childhood
Tashauna L Blankenship1, Que Anh Pham2
1Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, 02125, USA. tashauna.blankenship@umb.edu.
Cognitive Processing
|April 16, 2025
Summary
Preschoolers aged 3 and 4 can use memories to plan in new situations, but 2-year-olds cannot. Inhibitory control supports this memory-guided planning development in young children.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Flexible memory use is crucial for planning.
- Understanding the emergence of memory-guided planning in children is limited.
- Early childhood is a critical period for developing cognitive control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how preschoolers generalize memories for planning.
- To identify age-related differences in memory-guided planning.
- To explore the role of inhibitory control in this ability.
Main Methods:
- Assessed memory generalization in planning tasks.
- Studied 76 preschoolers aged 2, 3, and 4 years.
- Measured individual differences in inhibitory control.
Main Results:
- 3 and 4-year-olds demonstrated flexible memory generalization.
- 2-year-olds struggled to apply memories across contexts.
- Inhibitory control significantly predicted planning performance.
Conclusions:
- Memory-guided planning develops significantly between ages 2 and 3.
- Inhibitory control is a key mechanism supporting early planning abilities.
- Findings inform our understanding of cognitive development in early childhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Information Processing Approach
19
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
19
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
222
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
222
01:24Working Memory
89
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
89
01:14Piaget's Stage 1 of Cognitive Development
565
The sensorimotor stage, the initial phase of Jean Piaget's theory of cognitive development, spans the first two years of a child's life. During this period, infants actively engage with their surroundings, building cognitive awareness through direct interaction with the world. This interaction is primarily based on sensory perception and motor actions, allowing infants to gradually understand basic physical properties and predict how objects interact within their environment.
565
01:24Implicit Memories
47
Implicit memories, also known as non-declarative memories, are long-term memories that function outside of conscious awareness. These memories influence behavior and skills without explicit knowledge. This type of memory is evident in tasks like playing tennis, snowboarding, and texting. Implicit memory has three subsystems: procedural memory, conditioning, and priming. This type of memory is essential in various activities, from everyday tasks to specialized skills.
One key aspect of implicit...
One key aspect of implicit...
47
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
536
Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or...
536