Psychological Development and Education ›› 2013, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (3): 238-246.

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The Research on the Structure of Executive Function in 3-Year-Old

ZHANG Qian-yi1, WEN Ping2   

  1. School of education and science, School of teacher college of vocational technology, GuangXi Normal University, Guilin 541004, China
  • Online:2013-05-15 Published:2013-05-15

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Abstract: Whereas the executive function (EF) structure of adults is extensively researched and characterized in a hierarchical mode, it remains unclear for the population of 3-year-old children. The current investigation explored this issue by testing 3-year-old children with various tasks tapping on constructs of EF (i.e., working memory and inhibitory control function). 181 3-year-olds (96 girls and 85 boys, Mage=41.6 months) from two kindergartens in GuangXi province completed all the tasks. The task selection considers the developmental stage of the participants and it requires qualified testing characteristics(e.g., Inhibition task include Delay of Gratification, Delayed Alternation, Day-Night Stroop task; WM task include Counting Span, Beads, Six Boxes task). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were performed separately on splitted data set. EFA (n1=90) resulted in a 2-factor model (representing working memory and inhibition function as the latent factors). CFA (n2=91) further evidenced the better data fit of the 2-factor model than the 1-factor model (where EF was treated as the only latent factor). The results espoused the view that, children, early in their 3 year-old, their working memory and inhibition function start to separate from each other and operate rather independently. And differences between boys and girls over measurement invariance testing have not been found.

Key words: executive function, inhibition, working memory

CLC Number: 

  • B844.1
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