The processes underlying flexibility in childhood

Abstract

It is now well established in the adult literature that the ability to engage in flexible thought and action is a complex skill that relies on a number of underlying processes. The development of this skill has received growing interest in recent years. However, theories explaining children's ability to switch between different tasks typically focus on a single underlying process and are rarely extended to explain development beyond the preschool years. This article reviews the current literature on set shifting in children in comparison with task switching in adults, in order to highlight the range of factors that impact on children's ability to flexibly shift between tasks. In doing this we hope to set the scene for future research that can begin to establish the relationships between these processes and how they change with age.

Keywords:

• Flexibility
• Task switching
• Shifting
• Executive function
• Cognitive control
• Development
• Children

Acknowledgments

The writing of this article was supported by Economic and Social Research Council Postdoctoral Fellowship Award PTA–026–27–1648 to L.C.

Notes

¹ The concept of task set is widespread in the literature but very imprecise. However, it is commonly assumed to encompass a number of parameters related to perceptual, mnemonic, attentional, and motor processes that are essential for a given task goal (e.g., Mayr & Keele, 2000; Schneider & Logan, 2007). A task set allegedly includes stimulus encoding, action rules, and response selection (e.g., Gade & Koch, 2007; Rogers & Monsell, 1995).