title: Sorting between dimensions: conditions of cognitive flexibility in preschoolers.
abstract: The Dimensional Change Card Sorting task frequently is used to measure extradimensional shifting abilities in preschool children. In two studies, we investigated what makes this extradimensional shifting task difficult. In Study 1 with 61 2- to 4-year-olds, we showed that extradimensional shifts from one dimension to another are more difficult than reversal shifts within a dimension (even with irrelevant variation on a second dimension). Study 2 with 77 3- and 4-year-olds further confirmed this finding using a computerized paradigm and showed that sorting instructions are critical for 3-year-olds' difficulties with extradimensional shifts. This finding is taken to suggest that 3-year-olds have particular problems with spontaneously classifying one object in two different ways.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, A-5020 Salzburg, Austria. daniela.kloo@sbg.ac.at
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kloo
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Perner
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kerschhuber
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dabernig
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aichhorn
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests