How your brain's executive function works -- and how to improve it | Sabine Doebel

Summary

Joanna Pietrulewicz, a cognitive scientist, discusses the concept of executive function—the ability to consciously control thoughts, emotions, and actions—and its impact on various aspects of life. She challenges the notion that brain training apps can enhance executive function broadly, emphasizing the importance of context in its development. Through experiments like the 'dimensional change card sort' and the 'marshmallow test,' Pietrulewicz illustrates how context influences executive function, suggesting that strategies and motivation within specific situations are key to improvement.

Takeaways

• 🚗 Learning to drive is mentally exhausting because it requires a lot of executive function, which is our ability to consciously control our thoughts, emotions, and actions to achieve goals.
• 🧠 Executive function is crucial for breaking away from habit, inhibiting impulses, and planning ahead, and it's visible when things go wrong, like absentminded actions.
• 🌟 Executive function predicts various positive outcomes in life, including social skills, academic achievement, mental and physical health, financial success, and avoiding legal trouble.
• 🚫 Brain training apps and games may not improve executive function broadly because they often exercise it in narrow, non-real-world contexts.
• 🔄 The 'dimensional change card sort' is a test used to measure executive function in children, showing how they switch between sorting by shape and color.
• 👧 Young children often struggle with tasks requiring a switch in strategy, highlighting the developmental nature of executive function.
• 📈 Context significantly influences executive function; for example, children are more likely to wait for a reward if they believe their peer group also waits.
• 🤔 The marshmallow test, a measure of delay of gratification, is influenced by the context provided by the child's perceived group behavior.
• 👫 Children's preferences and strategies for self-control are shaped by the context of their social group, affecting their executive function.
• 💡 To improve executive function, focus on the context, motivation, and specific strategies that can be applied in real-life situations rather than seeking quick fixes.

Q & A

What is executive function and why is it important?

Executive function is the cognitive ability to consciously control thoughts, emotions, and actions to achieve goals. It's important because it predicts various positive outcomes such as social skills, academic achievement, mental and physical health, financial management, and even staying out of jail.

Why does the speaker say that brain training apps won't improve executive function in a broad sense?

The speaker argues that brain training apps won't improve executive function broadly because they exercise it in a narrow way, outside of real-world contexts where it's actually used.

What is the 'dimensional change card sort' and how does it relate to executive function?

The 'dimensional change card sort' is a test used to measure executive function in young children. It involves sorting cards first by one dimension (like shape) and then switching to sort by another dimension (like color), which requires the child to inhibit the initial habit and adapt to a new sorting rule.

How does the context influence executive function according to the speaker's research?

The speaker's research shows that context significantly influences executive function. For example, children in the marshmallow test were more likely to wait for a second marshmallow if they believed their group typically waited, indicating that social context and perceived group behavior can affect an individual's executive function.

What was the twist the speaker added to the classic marshmallow test?

The speaker added a twist to the marshmallow test by assigning children to a group (green or orange) and telling them which group typically waited for two marshmallows. This introduced the influence of perceived group behavior on the child's ability to delay gratification.

How did the speaker's research demonstrate that context can help improve executive function?

The research showed that children who believed their group typically waited for two marshmallows were more likely to wait themselves and preferred other kids who also liked to wait. This suggests that context, such as group identity and values, can enhance executive function by making goals more meaningful and by influencing the strategies used to achieve those goals.

What practical advice does the speaker give for improving executive function?

The speaker suggests improving executive function by changing the context to make goals more meaningful and by teaching strategies tailored to specific situations, such as learning a new language or doing homework.

Why does the speaker mention the ancient Greeks and their advice 'Know thyself'?

The speaker mentions the ancient Greeks to emphasize the importance of self-awareness, particularly understanding how context shapes behavior and using that knowledge to improve executive function.

What is the significance of the speaker's anecdote about learning to drive?

The speaker's anecdote about learning to drive illustrates the mental exhaustion that comes from using executive function, as it requires conscious control over thoughts and actions, which is a concept central to the discussion of executive function.

How does the speaker use humor in the script to engage the audience?

The speaker uses humor by sharing relatable and amusing scenarios, such as pouring orange juice on cereal or missing a meeting while scrolling on Facebook, to make the topic of executive function more engaging and to illustrate the concept of absentmindedness.