title: Enhancing the executive functions of 3-year-olds in the Dimensional Change Card Sort task.
abstract: Executive functions enable flexible thinking, something young children are notoriously bad at. For instance, in the dimensional change card sort (DCCS) task, 3-year-olds can sort cards by one dimension (shape), but continue to sort by this dimension when asked to switch (to color). This study tests a prediction of a dynamic neural field model that prior experience with the postswitch dimension can enhance 3-year-olds' performance in the DCCS. In Experiment 1A, a matching game was used to preexpose 3-year-olds (n = 36) to color. This facilitated switching from sorting by shape to color. In , 3-year-olds (n = 18) were preexposed to shape. This did not facilitate switching from sorting by color to shape. The model was used to explain this asymmetry.
authors.affiliation: University of Minnesota.
authors.forename: Sammy
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perone
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Molitor
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee.
authors.forename: Aaron T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Buss
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: John P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Spencer
authors.affiliation: University of Iowa.
authors.forename: Larissa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Samuelson
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003210:Concept Formation / Q000502:physiology*; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005556:Form Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male