Inhibitory processes in young children and individual variation in short-term memory
Inhibitory processes in young children and individual variation in short-term memory
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DOI：
10.1207/s15326942dn2802_6
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发表时间：
2005-01-01
影响因子：
1.5
通讯作者：
Bull, R
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Espy, KA;Bull, R
执行控制的精确定义仍然难以捉摸，部分与执行任务之间任务需求性质的差异有关，这使得特定测试与特定构造性能的识别变得复杂。在这项研究中，所选择的任务在刺激（语言、非语言）、反应（命名、躯体运动）、冲突类型（主动干扰、分心）和所需抑制过程（注意力控制、反应抑制）的性质上有所不同。然后检查 184 名幼儿（年龄范围 = 3 岁 6 个月至 6 岁 1 个月）的表现差异，比较那些高跨度（5 位或更多数字）和低跨度（3 位或更少数字）的儿童，以确定对短期记忆的依赖性。结果表明，尽管高跨度和低跨度儿童的任务相互关联的具体模式有所不同，但不同工具的抑制性任务需求存在共性。此外，只有在注意力控制任务上的表现——也就是说，需要在先前活跃的内部代表规则或响应集与当前活跃的内部代表规则或响应集之间进行认知参与/脱离——在高跨度和低跨度的儿童之间存在差异。相比之下，在反应抑制任务上，高跨度和低跨度的儿童之间以及在按刺激、反应或冲突类型考虑时的任务上都没有差异。良好调节思维的个体差异可能在于将信息保持在活跃的、可快速检索的状态的能力的差异，这有助于以与目标相关的方式控制注意力。
A precise definition of executive control remains elusive, related in part to the variations among executive tasks in the nature of the task demands, which complicate the identification of test-specific versus construct-specific performance. In this study, tasks were chosen that varied in the nature of the stimulus (verbal, nonverbal), response (naming, somatic motor), conflict type (proactive interference, distraction), and inhibitory process (attention control, response suppression) required. Then performance differences were examined in 184 young children (age range = 3 years 6 months to 6 years 1 month), comparing those with high (5 or more digits) and low (3 or fewer digits) spans to determine the dependence on short-term memory. Results indicated that there was communality in inhibitory task demands across instruments, although the specific pattern of task intercorrelations varied in children with high and low spans. Furthermore, only performance on attention control tasks-that is, that require cognitive engagement/disengagement among an internally represented rule or response set that was previously active versus those currently active-differed between children of high and low spans. In contrast, there were differences neither between children with high and low spans on response suppression tasks nor on tasks when considered by type of stimulus, response, or conflict. Individual differences in well-regulated thought may rest in variations in the ability to maintain information in an active, quickly retrievable state that subserve controlling attention in a goal-relevant fashion.