Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Sep:73:101135.
doi: 10.1016/j.dr.2024.101135. Epub 2024 Jun 12.

Environmental contributions to cognitive development: The role of cognitive stimulation

Divyangana Rakesh  1   2 , Katie A McLaughlin  2   3 , Margaret Sheridan  4 , Kathryn L Humphreys  5 , Maya L Rosen  6
Affiliations

Environmental contributions to cognitive development: The role of cognitive stimulation

Divyangana Rakesh et al. Dev Rev. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Early environmental experiences influence children's cognitive and neural development. In particular, cognitive stimulation, defined as environmental inputs that engage the senses and provide learning opportunities for children, fosters acquisition of knowledge across various cognitive domains. Low levels of cognitive stimulation in early life may restrict learning opportunities, contributing to lasting consequences for neural development and later academic and occupational achievement. This review delves into the role of cognitive stimulation in neural development and related cognitive performance, available tools for measuring cognitive stimulation in various settings, and offers insights into future research directions. In addition, variability in cognitive stimulation, often linked to differences in socioeconomic status, may create disparities in children's access to enriching experiences that provide the foundation for learning. We therefore briefly review the role of socioeconomic status in cognitive stimulation and cognitive development. We also leverage evidence from intervention studies to illustrate the importance of cognitive stimulation for children's outcomes. Investigating the influence of cognitive stimulation on children's brain and behavior development is crucial for developing effective intervention strategies to foster the healthy development of all children and unlocking their full potential.

Keywords: Brain development; Childhood and adolescence; Cognitive development; Cognitive stimulation; Environment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
A taxonomy for the measurement of cognitive stimulation. Cognitive stimulation can be measured directly or indirectly across different modes. We provide examples of sources of cognitive stimulation under each mode. Using language as an example, we also highlight that stimulation lies along a spectrum and the probability of learning increases as the source of stimulation goes from observed/passive to reciprocal/interactive.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Avants BB, Hackman DA, Betancourt LM, Lawson GM, Hurt H, & Farah MJ (2015). Relation of Childhood Home Environment to Cortical Thickness in Late Adolescence: Specificity of Experience and Timing. PLOS ONE, 10(10), e0138217. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Barros AJD, Matijasevich A, Santos IS, & Halpern R (2010). Child development in a birth cohort: Effect of child stimulation is stronger in less educated mothers. International Journal of Epidemiology, 39(1), 285–294. 10.1093/ije/dyp272 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Bernier A, Carlson SM, & Whipple N (2010). From External Regulation to Self-Regulation: Early Parenting Precursors of Young Children’s Executive Functioning. Child Development, 81(1), 326–339. 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2009.01397.x - DOI - PubMed
    1. Betancur L, Maldonado-Carreño C, Votruba-Drzal E, & Bernal R (2021). Measuring preschool quality in low- and middle-income countries: Validity of the ECERS-R in Colombia. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 54, 86–98. 10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.08.001 - DOI
    1. Bibok MB, Carpendale JIM, & Müller U (2009). Parental scaffolding and the development of executive function. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 2009(123), 17–34. 10.1002/cd.233 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources