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. 2014 Oct;133(1):201-10.
doi: 10.1016/j.cognition.2014.06.012. Epub 2014 Jul 18.

Working memory updating and the development of rule-guided behavior

Dima Amso  1 , Sara Haas  2 , Lauren McShane  2 , David Badre  2
Affiliations

Working memory updating and the development of rule-guided behavior

Dima Amso et al. Cognition. 2014 Oct.

Abstract

The transition from middle childhood into adolescence is marked by both increasing independence and also extensive change in the daily requirements of familial demands, social pressures, and academic achievement. To manage this increased complexity, children must develop the ability to use abstract rules that guide the choice of behavior across a range of circumstances. Here, we tested children through adults in a task that requires increasing levels of rule abstraction, while separately manipulating competition among alternatives in working memory. We found that age-related differences in rule-guided behavior can be explained in terms of improvement in rule abstraction, which we suggest involves a working memory updating mechanism. Furthermore, family socioeconomic status (SES) predicted change in rule-guided behavior, such that higher SES predicted better performance with development. We discuss these results within a working memory gating framework for abstract rule-guided behavior.

Keywords: Development; Executive functions; Policy abstraction; Rule-guided behavior; Socioeconomic status; Working memory.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic of increases in depth, and by necessity width, of decision tree when moving from 0 to 1st and 2nd order policy for action.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Depicts both Response and Feature task trial types. Participants respond by either pressing a number that maps onto the color of the box (Response) or by indicating with a “positive” or “negative” whether the color cue correctly predicts the direction of the embedded arrow (Feature).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Left panel illustrates mean RTs (msec) per age group on the Response Task across levels 1, 2, and 4. Right panel reflects Level 2 trial Change and Repeat RTs by Age Group for the Response task.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Left panel illustrates mean RTs (msec) per age group on the Feature Task across levels 1, 2, and 4. Right panel reflects Level 2 trial Change and Repeat RTs by Age Group for the Feature task.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Illustrates how SES moderates the relationship between policy abstraction and age. Data shown are for children through adolescents (7-15 years, N = 61).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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