Development of the ability to inhibit a prepotent response: Influence of working memory and processing speed

Age Factors; Analysis of Variance; Child; Child Development; Child, Preschool; Cognition; Female; Humans; Inhibition (Psychology); Male; Memory, Short-Term; Mental Processes; Reaction Time; Task Performance and Analysis

Abstract :

[en] This study aimed to examine developmental trends in response inhibition during childhood and to control for possible developmental influence of other basic cognitive processes (such as working memory and processing speed). In addition, we explored the relationships between response inhibition, working memory, and processing speed, as they are thought to be integral to cognitive control. Therefore, we assessed these three cognitive abilities in 159 children aged from 5 to 12. Results showed an improvement in response inhibition ability from 5 to 10 years of age. This improvement remained significant after controlling for the influence of working memory and processing speed. Furthermore, the developmental relationships showed an early differentiation between response inhibition, working memory, and processing speed. Thus, these processes were independent and need to be treated as such in further studies. © 2011 The British Psychological Society.

Disciplines :

Neurosciences & behavior

Author, co-author :

Urben, Sebastien; Université de Genève - UNIGE > Department of Psychology > Child Clinical Neuropsychology Unit

Van der Linden, Martial ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de Psychologie > Département de Psychologie

Barisnikov, Koviljka; Université de Genève - UNIGE > Department of Psychology > Child Clinical Neuropsychology Unit

Language :

English

Title :

Development of the ability to inhibit a prepotent response: Influence of working memory and processing speed

Publication date :

2011

Journal title :

British Journal of Developmental Psychology

ISSN :

0261-510X

Publisher :

Wiley-Blackwell, United States

Volume :

Issue :

Pages :

981-998

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBi :

since 16 January 2020

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