Psychological Development and Education ›› 2019, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (1): 1-10.doi: 10.16187/j.cnki.issn1001-4918.2019.01.01

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Study on the Development of Executive Function Subcomponents in 3-6-year-old Children

WANG Jingmei1,2, ZHANG Yibin3, ZHENG Chenye2,4, LU Yingjun1,2, QIN Jinliang2   

  1. 1. Institute of Child Study, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou 310012;
    2. Hangzhou College of Early Childhood Teachers Education, Zhejiang Normal University, Hangzhou 310012;
    3. Faculty of Education, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062;
    4. Zhejiang Beishan Kindergarten, Hangzhou 310012
  • Published:2019-01-30

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Abstract: Executive Functions, which were rapidly developed at early age, refer to a set of cognitive abilities involved in the control and coordination of information in the service of goal-directed activities. By using a newly developed Executive Function Task Battery, 210 3-6-year-old Chinese children (6 groups, each 6-month interval) were asked to finish the tasks, which test the developmental changes of the subcomponents of Executive Function (Working Memory, Inhibitory Control and Cognitive Flexibility).The results showed that the EF ability were rapidly improved during the development, especially in Inhibitory Control and Cognitive Flexibility of 4-year-old preschoolers; but the EF ability was increased out of step, which Inhibitory Control came first and Working Memory came last. The positive moderate correlations were found between the subcomponents. In conclusion, EF ability improved significantly during the early age, but was not inconformity. We suggest the selection of age on children' EF ability study can be accurate to 6 months.

Key words: executive function, preschooler, working memory, inhibitory control, cognitive flexibility

CLC Number: 

  • B844
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