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Dynamic Field Theory and Executive Functions : Lending Explanation to Current Theories of Development
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Morton, J. Bruce |
| Copyright Year | 2014 |
| Abstract | Buss and Spencer's monograph is an impressive achievement that is sure to have a lasting impact on the field of child development. The dynamic field theory (DFT) model, that forms the heart of this contribution, is ambitious in scope, detailed in its implementation, and rigorously tested against data, old and new. As such, the ideas contained in this fine document represent a qualitative advance in our understanding of young children's behavior, and lay a foundation for future research into the developmental origins of executive functioning. My 4-year-old daughter is very proud of herself—she has learned to ride her two-wheel bike. A few weeks ago, she was very eager to try, so we took her and her bike to a nearby baseball diamond and helped her up onto the seat. She was a bit wobbly at first, but quickly found her balance and got going round and round the diamond on her own, unassisted. She giggled with delight. It was a truly joyous moment. Still, despite her impressive progress, she can't quite ride like her older brother—starting at will, riding consistently straight, stopping at corners, cognizant of cars, potholes, and pedestrians, and heeding the directives of her anxious parents. Put simply, she lacks control. Inquiry into the psychological nature of control falls under the banner of the executive functions—processes that enable the planning, selection, initiation, stopping, and evaluation of voluntary actions. Executive functions (or EFs) operate on, but are not synonymous with, more elemental perceptual-motor capacities. My daughter, for example, has the necessary Corresponding author: J. Bruce Morton, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Cognitive Development and Neuroimaging Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Brain and Mind Institute, Westminster Hall, 324, University of Western Ontario, London, ON N6A 3K7, Canada, email: jbrucemorton@gmail.com |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://cdnl.uwo.ca/publications/publication_downloads/Dynamic%20field%20theory%20and%20executive%20functions%20Lending%20explanation%20to%20current%20theories%20of%20development.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
