Improving Executive Functions

改善执行功能

• 批准号: RGPIN-2018-06630
• 负责人: DIAMOND, ADELE
• 金额: $ 6.85万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=763658
• 关键词: Improving; Executive; Functions

Executive Functions (EFs), which enable us to resist temptations or automatic impulsive reactions, stay focused, mentally play with ideas, reason, problem-solve, flexibly adjust to changed demands or priorities, and see things from new and different perspectives, are crucial for all life's aspects.My lab is pushing the frontiers of how to improve EFs. This work, we predict, will result in fundamentally changing the approach and underlying assumptions (shift the entire paradigm) of how to improve EFs and cognitive skills generally.Researchers have focused on training EFs (or improving aerobic fitness to improve EFs) ignoring powerful emotional and social factors that affect EFs. We will systematically test predictions that derive from a novel theory I have proposed that offers a markedly different perspective in hypothesizing that activities will best improve EFs if they not only train and challenge EFs directly but also indirectly support EFs by lessening things that impair EFs and enhancing things that support EFs. The different parts of a person are fundamentally interrelated. Focusing exclusively on training cognitive skills is, I hypothesize, less efficient and ultimately less successful than also addressing emotional and social needs.For example, many studies have looked at improving EFs via computerized cognitive training. The results have generally been disappointing. Why? We and others propose that is because training skills in isolation produces fairly rote learning of specific task strategies and response patterns. People learn something at a deeper level when they need that deeper level understanding for a real world use they care about. What is needed is to engage participants in activities they care deeply about where improving EFs is needed for what they want to do, where mentors and experiences in that activity inspire and instill pride and self-confidence.Though those who are more aerobically fit tend to have better EFs, aerobic interventions rarely produce better EFs than the control group. I propose it is not about improving aerobic capacity or motor skills per se. If an activity does not demand and challenge EFs, they will not improve. Moreover, if EFs are only demanded for an arbitrary, de-contextualized use (e.g., learning a skill from a sport, but never playing the sport) the data show some EF improvement, but that alone gets one only so far; engaging in the real-world activity seems critical. If a program also brings joy, builds self-confidence, and provides a sense of belonging and community, EFs should improve more. If a program ignores emotional or social needs, those unmet needs will work against any EF improvement.Our work has the exciting potential to advance scientific understanding by getting researchers to think in new ways about how to improve cognitive skills. Focusing narrowly on training cognition may not be the best way to improve cognition.

执行功能 (EF) 使我们能够抵制诱惑或自动冲动反应，保持专注，在精神上思考、推理、解决问题，灵活地适应变化的需求或优先事项，并从新的和不同的角度看待事物，这对于生活的各个方面都至关重要。我的实验室正在推动如何提高 EF 的前沿。我们预测，这项工作将从根本上改变如何提高 EF 和认知技能的方法和基本假设（改变整个范式）。研究人员专注于训练 EF（或通过改善有氧健身来提高 EF），而忽略了影响 EF 的强大情绪和社会因素。我们将系统地测试源自我提出的一个新颖理论的预测，该理论提供了一个明显不同的视角，假设活动不仅直接训练和挑战 EF，而且通过减少损害 EF 的因素和增强支持 EF 的因素来间接支持 EF，那么这些活动将最好地改善 EF。一个人的不同部分从根本上来说是相互关联的。我认为，与同时满足情感和社交需求相比，仅仅关注认知技能的培训效率较低，最终也不太成功。例如，许多研究都着眼于通过计算机化认知培训来提高 EF。结果普遍令人失望。为什么？我们和其他人认为，这是因为单独的培训技能会产生对特定任务策略和响应模式的相当死记硬背的学习。当人们需要更深入地了解他们关心的现实世界用途时，他们会更深入地学习一些东西。我们需要的是让参与者参与他们深切关心的活动，其中需要提高他们想做的事情的 EF，活动中的导师和经验激发并灌输自豪感和自信。尽管那些更适合有氧运动的人往往有更好的 EF，但有氧干预很少会比对照组产生更好的 EF。我认为这并不是为了提高有氧能力或运动技能本身。如果一项活动不要求和挑战 EF，他们就不会进步。此外，如果 EF 仅被要求用于任意的、脱离情境的用途（例如，从一项运动中学习一项技能，但从未参加过这项运动），则数据显示 EF 有所改善，但仅此而已；参与现实世界的活动似乎至关重要。如果一项计划还能带来快乐、建立自信、提供归属感和社区感，那么 EF 应该会取得更大进步。如果一个计划忽视了情感或社交需求，这些未满足的需求将不利于任何 EF 的改进。我们的工作具有令人兴奋的潜力，可以通过让研究人员以新的方式思考如何提高认知技能来促进科学理解。狭隘地关注训练认知可能不是提高认知的最佳方法。