The Relationship between Executive Functions, Working Memory, and Intelligence in Kindergarten Children

Abstract

Executive functions (EF), working memory (WM), and intelligence are closely associated, but distinct constructs. What underlies the associations between these constructs, especially in childhood, is not well understood. In this pre-registered study, along with the traditional aggregate accuracy and RT-based measures of EF, we investigated post-error slowing (PES) in EF as a manifestation of metacognitive processes (i.e., monitoring and cognitive control) in relation to WM and intelligence. Thereby, we aimed to elucidate whether these metacognitive processes may be one underlying component to explain the associations between these constructs. We tested kindergarten children (Mage = 6.4 years, SDage = 0.3) in an EF, WM (verbal and visuospatial), and fluid (non-verbal) intelligence task. We found significant associations of mainly the inhibition component of EF with fluid intelligence and verbal WM, and between verbal WM and intelligence. No significant associations emerged between the PES in EF and intelligence or WM. These results suggest that in the kindergarten age, inhibition rather than monitoring and cognitive control might be the underlying component that explains the associations between EF, WM, and intelligence.

The Development of Cognitive Control in Preschoolers and Kindergarteners: The Case of Post-Error Slowing and Delayed Disinhibition

“…In adults, fluid intelligence is inversely associated with PES (Varriale et al 2021). However, the single study that looked for such a correlation in young children did not find empirical evidence for it (Ger and Roebers 2023b). An additional variable of interest in this context is the sex of the child.…”

“…Therefore, our study explored the development of the PES effect as a marker of reactive control during preschool and kindergarten years. While studying this development, our study took into account additional variables that could explain individual differences in executive control, including fluid intelligence, age and sex, both in adults (Peng et al 2019;Varriale et al 2021) and children (Ger and Roebers 2023b;Gómez-Pérez and Calero 2022;Ibbotson and Roque-Gutierrez 2023). Specifically regarding PES, one such variable that correlates with age and could explain part of the variance in PES is fluid intelligence (see meta-analysis by Peng et al 2019).…”

Time-based prospective memory in preschoolers – the role of time monitoring behavior

“…Considering that in preschoolers, many cognitive abilities are closely associated but distinct constructs [ cf. , ( Ger and Roebers, 2023 ) for EF, WM, and intelligence], this study also aimed to explore potential cognitive correlates of TBPM in preschoolers. Therefore, we examined the relationship between TBPM and fundamental cognitive abilities, such as WM, inhibitory control, fluid intelligence, selective attention, time perception, switching, RM, and language abilities.…”