Interventions for Improving Executive Functions during Development

doi:10.1017/9781108399838.035

30 - Interventions for Improving Executive Functions during Development

Working Memory, Cognitive Flexibility, and Inhibition

from Part III - Education and School-Learning Domains

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 24 February 2022

Nikolaus Steinbeis and

Claire Rosalie Smid

Edited by

Olivier Houdé and

Grégoire Borst

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Olivier Houdé: Affiliation:
Université de Paris V
Grégoire Borst: Affiliation:
Université de Paris V

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Summary

Executive functions (EFs) comprise a set of cognitive skills harnessed for the regulation of behaviour and the pursuit of long-term goals. Sometimes referred to as cognitive control, this set of processes enables one to stay focused on a particular task and ignore distractions along the way (Diamond, 2013). There is some consensus that EFs can be decomposed into three core components, namely working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibition (Miyake et al., 2000). Working memory (WM) allows the short-term retention and manipulation of information in mind (Baddeley, 1992); inhibitory control (IC) refers to the ability to suppress prepotent impulses and is also referred to as self-control or interference control (Logan et al., 1997); while cognitive flexibility (CF) is the ability to switch readily between different mental processes or task-demands (Eslinger & Grattan, 1993). These three EFs often operate jointly in a large variety of cognitive-development tasks. For the purposes of the present chapter, we also review the literature on attentional control (AC) (the ability to direct focus to the task at hand; Davidson et al., 2006).

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Type: Chapter
Information: The Cambridge Handbook of Cognitive Development , pp. 623 - 643

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108399838.035 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2022

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