Executive Functioning and External Symbols: The Role of Symbolic Understanding and Psychological Distancing

Abstract

Preschool children can use external symbols to aid their executive functioning (EF). The purpose of the current study was to investigate how symbols boost EF, specifically investigating the role of psychological distancing and symbolic understanding. Preschoolers were assessed on their level of symbolic understanding and completed two EF tasks. Half the children completed the first EF task using symbols, and all children completed the second EF task without the aid of symbols. Results indicated that children in the symbol group at first did significantly worse while they were using the symbols compared to the control group, though their performance improved over time. Control group performance was significantly worse in the second EF task. Symbolic understanding was sometimes related to EF performance for children in the symbol group but not the control group. The current research highlights the complexity of symbol use to influence cognitive functioning.

Keywords:

• Executive functioning
• external symbols
• psychological distancing
• symbolic understanding

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank parents and children who participated in this study. We would also like to thank Mikayla Kerr and Chaya Seale for their help with data collection.

Disclosure statement

Neither author has a conflict of interest to declare.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Michelle Eskritt

Michelle Eskritt is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is interested in studying cognitive development, particularly in the areas of memory and representation. Part of the data for the present experiment came from the honor’s thesis of Kathleen Walsh.

Kathleen Walsh is currently enrolled in the Masters in School Psychology program at Mount Saint Vincent University.

Kathleen Walsh

Michelle Eskritt is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Mount Saint Vincent University. She is interested in studying cognitive development, particularly in the areas of memory and representation. Part of the data for the present experiment came from the honor’s thesis of Kathleen Walsh.

Kathleen Walsh is currently enrolled in the Masters in School Psychology program at Mount Saint Vincent University.