Gaining control of the future: The cognitive development of foresight

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Because humans can anticipate their limitations, they can act in the present to shape their future for the better. This project aims to chart four key developmental processes by which children gain this control over their future outcomes. It will use novel experimental paradigms to map children’s growing ability to compensate for their limits with strategic planning, and to improve their future capacities by acquiring new knowledge and innovating technical solutions. The cognitive underpinnings of these critical behaviours are still poorly understood. This project will therefore provide the essential empirical foundation for fostering the development of wiser, more skilled, and more innovative young people.