Tracking the Within‐Trial, Cross‐Trial, and Developmental Dynamics of Cognitive Control: Evidence From the Simon Task. Issue 6 (29th June 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Erb, Christopher D.; Marcovitch, Stuart
• Is Part Of: Child development. Volume 90:Issue 6(2019)
• Page Start: e831
• Page End: e848
• Publication Date: 2018-06-29
• Subjects: Child development -- Periodicals; Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Child Development; Pediatrics -- Periodicals; Pedicatrics; 305.231
• DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13111
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0009-3920

Abstract

Abstract : Six‐ to 8‐year‐olds, 10‐ to 12‐year‐olds, and adults ( N = 108) performed the Simon task by reaching to targets on a digital display. The spatial and temporal characteristics of their movements were used to assess how two key processes underlying cognitive control—a threshold adjustment process and a controlled selection process—unfold over the course of a response (within‐trial dynamics), are modulated by recent experience (cross‐trial dynamics), and contribute to age‐related gains in control (developmental dynamics). The results indicate that the controlled selection process undergoes a more protracted development than the threshold adjustment process. The results also shed light on a prominent debate concerning the cross‐trial dynamics of control by supporting the feature integration account over the conflict adaptation account.