Assessing executive function as it relates to self-regulation

Slips of action are cognitive errors that occur during routine tasks in everyday life (Clark, Parakh, Smilek, & Roy, 2012). Minimizing these everyday errors involves executive function, a system of complementary cognitive processes that enable control over thoughts and actions, including attention, inhibition, cognitive switching, and maintaining and manipulating the contents of working memory (Norman & Shallice, 2000). Many aspects of executive function are necessary for self-regulation, or the management of habitual, dominant, prepotent responses (Hamilton, Vohs, Sellier, & Meyvis, 2011). The present study explored the relationship between self-regulation, using self-report questionnaires, and executive function, using task-based assessments. Greater self-regulatory ability was related to fewer attention-related cognitive errors in everyday life, and tasks that require accounting for unexpected, non-habitual information were more difficult than routine tasks with expected information. Speed of responding was significantly related to performance on the task-based assessments and self-regulation potentially interjected when speed was held constant.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Finley, Sarah K.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Clark, Amanda J.
• Warren, Amye; Cunningham, Christopher J. L.; Elwell, J. Scott; Walker, Randy
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Cognitive psychology
• Mental efficiency
• Thought and thinking
• Attention
• Cognition

Licence

• https://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/?language=en

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/120

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1118