TY - JOUR
T1 - Less Is More - Executive function and symbolic representation in preschool children
AU - Carlson, Stephanie M.
AU - Davis, Angela C.
AU - Leach, Jamie G.
PY - 2005/8/1
Y1 - 2005/8/1
N2 - Executive function is recognized as a critical component of children's cognitive and social development. In two studies, a measure of executive function that had been used in research with chimpanzees was adapted for preschoolers. On this task, called Less Is More, children must point to a smaller reward (two candies) to receive a larger reward (five candies). In Study 1 (N = 101), performance was significantly related to age (3 vs. 4), verbal ability, and established measures of executive function. In Study 2 (N = 128), symbolic representations substituted for real candies in this task. Three-year-olds' performance improved significantly as afunction of symbolic distancing. This research has implications for the role of symbol systems in the development of executive control over thought and action.
AB - Executive function is recognized as a critical component of children's cognitive and social development. In two studies, a measure of executive function that had been used in research with chimpanzees was adapted for preschoolers. On this task, called Less Is More, children must point to a smaller reward (two candies) to receive a larger reward (five candies). In Study 1 (N = 101), performance was significantly related to age (3 vs. 4), verbal ability, and established measures of executive function. In Study 2 (N = 128), symbolic representations substituted for real candies in this task. Three-year-olds' performance improved significantly as afunction of symbolic distancing. This research has implications for the role of symbol systems in the development of executive control over thought and action.
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U2 - 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01583.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1467-9280.2005.01583.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 16102063
AN - SCOPUS:24644449309
VL - 16
SP - 609
EP - 616
JO - Psychological Science
JF - Psychological Science
SN - 0956-7976
IS - 8
ER -