Intra-individual variability adaptively increases following inhibition training during middle childhood

Bibliographic Data

ID21306882
AuthorsRoser Cañigueral (0000-0003-2261-1040, University College London), Keertana Ganesan (0000-0001-5631-2028, University College London), Claire Rosalie Smid (0000-0002-0013-8814, University College London), Abigail Thompson (0000-0002-7124-9968, University College London), Nico U F Dosenbach (0000-0002-6876-7078, Washington University in St. Louis), Nikolaus Steinbeis (0000-0001-8650-4725, University College London, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume239
Pages105548
Publication date2023-10-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCognition (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0010-0277 • E-ISSN: 1873-7838
PublisherElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.cognition.2023.105548
PMID37442020
OpenAlexW4383901375
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited46

There is ongoing debate on the relationship between intra-individual variability (IIV) of cognitive processes and task performance. While psychological research has traditionally assumed that lower intra-individual variability (IIV) aids consistent task performance, some studies suggest that greater IIV can also be adaptive, especially when flexible responding is required. Here we selectively manipulate inhibitory control (Stopping) and response speed (Going) by means of a training paradigm to 1) assess how this manipulation impacts Stopping IIV and its relationship to task performance, and 2) replicate previous findings showing that reductions in Going IIV are adaptive. A group of 208 6-13-year-old children were randomly allocated to an 8-week training targeting Stopping (experimental group) or Going (control group). The stop signal task was administered before and after training. Training Stopping led to adaptive increases in Stopping IIV, where greater flexibility in cognitive processing may be required to meet higher task demands. In line with previous studies, training Going led to adaptive reductions in Going IIV, which allows more consistent and efficient Going performance. These findings provide systematic and causal evidence of the process-dependent relationship of IIV and task performance in the context of Stopping and Going, suggesting a more nuanced perspective on IIV with implications for developmental, ageing and intervention studies

Cognitive psychology · Developmental psychology · Training (meteorology) · Cognitive Abilities and Testing · Mental Health Research Topics · Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies · Psychology

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