Work

Enhancing the Executive Functions of 3-Year-Olds in the Dimensional Change Card Sort Task

Year: 2014

Type: article

Abstract: Executive functions enable flexible thinking, something young children are notoriously bad at. For instance, in the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task, 3-year-olds can sort cards by one dimension (shape), but continue to sort by this dimension when asked to switch (to color). This study tests a prediction of a dynamic neural field model that prior experience with the postswitch dimension can enhance 3-year-olds' performance in the DCCS. In Experiment 1A, a matching game was used to preexpose 3-year-olds (n = 36) to color. This facilitated switching from sorting by shape to color. In , 3-year-olds (n = 18) were preexposed to shape. This did not facilitate switching from sorting by color to shape. The model was used to explain this asymmetry.

Source: Child Development

DOI: 10.1111/cdev.12330

Authors: Sammy Perone, Stephen J Molitor, Aaron T Buss, John P Spencer, Larissa K Samuelson

Institutions: University of Minnesota, Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of Iowa

Language: English

Topic: Child and Animal Learning Development

Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

Awards: G1365422427, G1745461535, The Emergence of Cognitive Flexibility in Neural-Behavioral Systems