Search

Executive functions' (EF) role in adolescents' advanced theory of mind (aToM) was examined. In Study 1, adolescents (N = 189 in 2017, M[subscript age] = 13.1 years, 55.6% female from racially/ethnically diverse schools) completed the Flexibility and Automaticity of Social Cognition task (FASC), and shifting and inhibition measures. Study 2 (N = 289 in 2018 and 2019, M[subscript age] = 15.7 years, 59.9% female, 56.4% Hispanic/Latino) replicated Study 1 in older adolescents using automated scoring of FASC flexibility. Flexibility of social cognition varied based on ambiguity and language use; automaticity of social cognition varied by ambiguity. The role of EF was less conclusive; shifting and inhibition predicted some flexibility and automaticity measures. Ambiguity, language, and EF, particularly shifting, influence aToM into adolescence.

The purpose of this study was to build a better understanding of the issues that students encounter during the summer that deter them from enrolling in the first semester of college in the fall. In Study 1, responses to a short survey were examined, and 4 critical factors were identified as deterring students: lack of college-bound identity, life circumstances and financial responsibilities, perceived lack of academic preparation, and opting for alternative career choices. In Study 2, transcription data were analyzed from texting dialogues between students and their college advisers. A thematic analysis revealed that several practical issues emerged with great frequency--most notably financial aid concerns. Social-emotional communication was also identified as a possible mechanism for developing the students' college-bound identity. These findings underscore the need to provide underrepresented students with not only information for completing college and financial aid applications but also with the opportunity for social support and emotional guidance during the summer leading up to college enrollment.

This study investigated direct and indirect effects of executivefunctions (EF) on reading comprehension in 87 adolescents(mean age = 14.0 years, SD = 1.5). The operation span taskwas used to measure the updating aspect of working memory,the plus-minus task to measure task-switching, and thenumerical Stroop task to measure inhibitory control. Literacyskills tasks assessed nonword decoding, text recall/inference,and passage comprehension. Regression models indicated thatEF measures accounted for significant variance in literacyskills after controlling for age and fluid intelligence. Workingmemory was associated with passage comprehension, task-switching with nonword decoding, and inhibitory control withnonword decoding as well as text recall/inference. Parallelmediation models tested for indirect effects of EF constructsvia decoding and text recall/inference. Working memoryshowed direct and indirect effects on passage comprehension,the latter mediated by text recall/inference. Task-switchingwas associated with decoding, but its relation to passagecomprehension was not significant. Inhibitory control showedindirect effects on passage comprehension via decoding andtext recall/inference. Results indicate overlapping but distinctcontributions of EF to literacy skills.

Previous meta-analyses highlight the role of executive functions (EF), encompassing working memory updating, task-switching, and inhibitory control, in reading comprehension, but have not established their role in decoding. Decoding is defined as the use of orthographic patterns to access oral pronunciations. According to the dual route model, decoding involves parallel activation of lexical and phonological routes, which places cognitive demands on EF. We used multivariate meta-analyses to examine associations between decoding, assessed via nonword and word reading tasks, and EF across 65 studies involving children and adolescents (162 effect size estimates, 22,806 observations from 10,173 participants, weighted mean age = 8.8 years). Meta-regression analyses examined a broad set of potential moderators of correlational effect size estimates, including variables related to sample characteristics, task features, and study design. Results indicated significant small-to-moderate correlations between EF constructs and decoding tasks (r[subscript z] ranged from 0.28 to 0.34), with little evidence of moderation. The observed associations between EF and decoding skills in children and adolescents appear to be relatively consistent, even when accounting for moderators related to the sample, task, and study design.

Adolescence is a period of rapid cognitive change, including an initial increase in speed of cognitive processing and a more gradual increase in efficiency of cognitive processing. This study examined how neurophysiological changes associated with adolescent development can inform the design of game-based executive function (EF) training. Two versions of a digital game designed to train the EF subskill of inhibition were given to adolescents (aged 13-17; N = 96): one focusing on speed, the other on accuracy. Consistent with neurocognitive developments, it was hypothesized that younger adolescents would benefit more from the speed version, and older adolescents more from the accuracy version. A significant age by condition interaction was found: Controlling for pretest, younger adolescents had better outcomes in the speed condition, while older adolescents had better outcomes in the accuracy condition. These findings argue for consideration of adolescents' neurocognitive development when designing games for learning and skill improvement.

This study investigated direct and indirect effects of executive functions on reading comprehension in adolescents (N = 87, M = 14.0 years, SD = 1.5) by testing for parallel mediation of effects of working memory, task-switching, and inhibitory control via decoding and text recall/inference. Working memory showed direct and indirect effects on passage comprehension, the latter mediated by text recall/inference. Task-switching was associated with decoding but its relation to passage comprehension was not significant. Inhibitory control showed indirect effects on passage comprehension via decoding and text recall/inference. Results indicate overlapping but distinct contributions of executive functions to reading skills.

This article discusses the current state of children's learning in the context of digital games. It highlights the increasing use of digital games in education and the potential benefits they offer. The article emphasizes the importance of designing efficacious games for learning and promoting durable, transferable learning from gameplay to activities beyond the game screen. It also explores the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR) in enhancing learning experiences. The article addresses the ethical concerns associated with digital games, such as privacy and exposure to negative content, and calls for greater investment in media literacy research. Overall, the article suggests the need for further research and evidence-based guidelines to support the selection of age-appropriate, high-quality games for children. [Extracted from the article]

A great deal of research has compared monolingual andbilinguals on conflict resolution tasks, with inconsistentfindings: Some studies reveal a bilingual advantage on globalRTs, some reveal a bilingual advantage on interference cost,and some show no advantage. We report a meta-analysis of73 comparisons (N = 5538), with estimates of global RTs andinterference cost for each study. Results revealed amoderately significant effect size that was not moderated bytype of cost (global RT or interference cost) or task. Ageinteracted with type of cost, showing a pattern difficult toreconcile with theories of bilingualism and executive control.Additionally there was a significant main effect of lab, whichmight be due to sociolinguistic differences in samples, datatreatment and methodology, or Hawthorne effects.

Research data have consistently shown that military veterans are more likely than the general U.S. population to experience mental health problems, as well as homelessness and unemployment. Additionally, data show exceptionally high attrition rates from mainstream mental health treatments for veterans. While several emerging, alternative programs have great potential to support veterans in dealing with trauma and with the transition to civilian life, there is a paucity of research documenting the effectiveness of these programs. This lack of data prevails partly because of biases within the scientific community, which remains largely ignorant of the pervasive difficulties confronting veterans. Our antidote to this problem is a model of veteran-led research. In this article, we outline a set of principles of veteran-led research that we have developed through our ongoing empirical investigation of the DE-CRUIT treatment program, which uses theatre to address traumatic stress and related problems encountered by veterans. We describe the challenges involved in prioritizing the veteran perspective in conducting research within a mainstream scientific context as well as ways of meeting these challenges in order to use the tools of science to better serve our nation's veterans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we argue that to study or apply games as learning environments, multiple perspectives have to be taken into account. We first define game-based learning and gamification, and then discuss theoretical models that describe learning with games, arguing that playfulness is orthogonal to learning theory. We then review design elements of games that facilitate learning by fostering learners' cognitive, behavioral, affective, and sociocultural engagement with the subject matter. Finally, we discuss the basis of these design elements in cognitive, motivational, affective, and sociocultural foundations by reviewing key theories from education and psychology that are the most pertinent to game-based learning and by describing empirical research on learning with games that has been or should be conducted. We conclude that a combination of cognitive, motivational, affective, and sociocultural perspectives is necessary for both game design and game research to fully capture what games have to offer for learning.

The present research examined how mode of play in an educational mathematics video game impacts learning, performance, and motivation. The game was designed for the practice and automation of arithmetic skills to increase fluency and was adapted to allow for individual, competitive, or collaborative game play. Participants (N = 58) from urban middle schools were randomly assigned to each experimental condition. Results suggested that, in comparison to individual play, competition increased in-game learning, whereas collaboration decreased performance during the experimental play session. Although out-of-game math fluency improved overall, it did not vary by condition. Furthermore, competition and collaboration elicited greater situational interest and enjoyment and invoked a stronger mastery goal orientation. Additionally, collaboration resulted in stronger intentions to play the game again and to recommend it to others. Results are discussed in terms of the potential for mathematics learning games and technology to increase student learning and motivation and to demonstrate how different modes of engagement can inform the instructional design of such games.

The effects of language on symbolic functioning were examined using the "boxes task," a new symbolic understanding task based on DeLoache's model task. Children ("N" = 32; ages 2;4--3;8) observed an object being hidden in a stack of four boxes and were then asked to retrieve a similar object in the same location from a set of four target boxes. Each box was identified with a different object sitting on a small ledge in front of it. Language use was manipulated by providing linguistic scaffolding (naming vs. standard) and by using objects to identify the boxes whose names were either known or unknown to the children (familiar vs. language control). Home language environment (monolingual vs. bilingual) and verbal age (measured via the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition) were also examined. Main effects were found for type of object (with familiar objects yielding better performance), home linguistic environment (with bilingualism resulting in better performance), and verbal age. There was also a verbal age × linguistic scaffolds interaction: Verbal age was related to correct retrievals only in the naming condition. These results provide further evidence that language mediates children's symbolic development and indicate that the new boxes task is an effective way of evaluating young children's symbolic competencies.

Are well-designed computer simulations an effective tool to support student understanding of complex concepts in chemistry when integrated into high school science classrooms? We investigated scaling up the use of a sequence of simulations of kinetic molecular theory and associated topics of diffusion, gas laws, and phase change, which we designed and experimentally tested. In the two effectiveness studies reported, one in a rural and the other in an urban context, chemistry teachers implemented two alternate versions of a curricular unit--an experimental version, incorporating simulations, and a control version, using text-based materials covering the same content. Participants were 718 high school students (357 rural and 361 urban), in a total of 25 classrooms. The implementation of the simulations was explored using criteria associated with fidelity of implementation (FOI). Each context provided insights into the role of FOI in affecting the effectiveness of the interventions when working with groups of teachers. Results supported the effectiveness of this sequence of simulations as a teaching tool in a classroom context, and confirmed the importance of FOI factors such as adherence and exposure in determining the specific environments in which these materials were most effective. (Contains 4 figures and 4 tables.)

The influence of prior knowledge and cognitive development on the effectiveness of iconic representations in science visualizations was examined. Middle and high school students (N = 186) were given narrated visualizations of two chemistry topics: Kinetic Molecular Theory (Day 1) and Ideal Gas Laws (Day 2). For half of the visualizations, iconic representations of key information were added. Results indicated a main effect of prior knowledge on learning in Day 1. In Day 2, a three-way interaction was found between prior knowledge, age group and icons: icons were effective for all middle school students and for high school students with low prior knowledge, but were not effective for high school students with high prior knowledge. These findings indicate that the expertise reversal effect can be mediated by cognitive development and other factors, not just domain specific prior knowledge.

Two studies examined language and understanding of scale models. First, children (N = 16; ages 2;4 to 3;5) received either the "standard" DeLoache model task or a "naming" version (in which children are asked to name the hiding location before retrieving a hidden object). Language ability positively correlated with performance on the model task, and children had significantly more errorless retrievals in the naming condition. Study 2 examined naming and transfer effects by giving children (N = 18; ages 2;5-3;1) both versions of the model task. Language ability correlated significantly only with performance in the naming condition. Both prior experience and naming condition significantly improved performance, with the effects being additive. Language and children's development of symbolic understanding are discussed. (Contains 1 table.)

The highly addictive drug methamphetamine has been associated with impairments in social cognitions as evidenced by changes in users' behaviors. Physiological changes in brain structure and functioning, particularly in the frontal lobe, have also been identified. The authors propose a biopsychosocial approach to understanding the effects of methamphetamine addiction by relating the physiological effects of the drug to the behaviors and social cognitions of its users, through the application of the theory of mind paradigm. Although onset of methamphetamine use has been linked to the desire for socialization, chronic use has been associated with an increase in depression, aggressiveness, and social isolation, behaviors that also implicate involvement of the frontal lobe. The reviewed literature provides strong circumstantial evidence that social-cognitive functioning is significantly impacted by methamphetamine use and that the social isolation, depression, and aggressiveness associated with chronic use is due to more than just the social withdrawal associated with addiction. Treatment considerations for methamphetamine must therefore consider the role of social cognition, and pharmacological responses must address the documented impact of the drug on frontal lobe functioning.

How can cognitive load in visual displays of computer simulations be optimized? Middle-school chemistry students (N = 257) learned with a simulation of the ideal gas law. Visual complexity was manipulated by separating the display of the simulations in two screens (low complexity) or presenting all information on one screen (high complexity). The mode of visual representation in the simulation was manipulated by presenting important information in symbolic form only (symbolic representations) or by adding iconic information to the display (iconic + symbolic representations), locating the sliders controlling the simulation separated from the simulation or integrating them, and graphing either only the most recent simulation result or showing all results taken. Separated screen displays and the use of optimized visual displays each promoted comprehension and transfer, especially for low prior-knowledge learners. An expertise reversal effect was found for learners' prior general science knowledge. Results indicate that intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load in visual displays can be manipulated and that learners' prior knowledge moderates the effectiveness of these load manipulations.

Executive functions' (EF) role in adolescents' advanced theory of mind (aToM) was examined. In Study 1, adolescents (N = 189 in 2017, Mage = 13.1 years, 55.6% female from racially/ethnically diverse schools) completed the Flexibility and Automaticity of Social Cognition task (FASC), and shifting and inhibition measures. Study 2 (N = 289 in 2018 and 2019, Mage = 15.7 years, 59.9% female, 56.4% Hispanic/Latino) replicated Study 1 in older adolescents using automated scoring of FASC flexibility. Flexibility of social cognition varied based on ambiguity and language use; automaticity of social cognition varied by ambiguity. The role of EF was less conclusive; shifting and inhibition predicted some flexibility and automaticity measures. Ambiguity, language, and EF, particularly shifting, influence aToM into adolescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]