Executive Function At Different Levels Of Task Difficulty
Date
2016-05
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
The objective of this study was to demonstrate that executive function
increases when one is completing a difficult task that requires motor planning. The
study aimed to demonstrate that functional near infrared spectroscopy is a valid tool
for measuring prefrontal cortex activation. The Tower of Hanoi was used as a
problem-solving task that elicits executive function. The problem-solving task could
be manipulated to be operationally defined as easy or difficult. The study did not show
a statistically significant increase in executive function with a more difficult task in a
statistically significant manner (p>0.05). However, ancillary analysis reveals that in
certain cases where the experimental design worked effectively results showed
prefrontal cortex activation was indeed increased. When experimental design was
flawed and did not accurately test what was intended, results were confounded.
Ultimately, descriptive statistics do not accurately depict what was occurring in the
study and further investigation is necessary.
Description
Keywords
psychology, executive function