Adaptiveness of fluctuations in intra-individual variability of performance is process-dependent in middle childhood

Resumen

There is ongoing debate on the relationship between intra-individual variability (IIV) of cognitive processes and task performance. While psychological research has traditionally assumed that lower intra-individual variability (IIV) aids consistent task performance, some studies suggest that greater IIV can also be adaptive, especially when flexible responding is required. Here we selectively manipulate two cognitive processes with differing task demands, response speed (Going; simple task) and inhibitory control (Stopping; complex task), by means of a training paradigm and assess how this impacts IIV and its relationship to task performance. A group of 208 6-13-year-old children were randomly allocated to an 8-week training targeting Going (control group) or Stopping (experimental group). The stop signal task was administered before and after training. Training Going led to adaptive reductions in Going IIV, which allows more consistent and efficient Going performance. In contrast, training Stopping led to adaptive increases in Stopping IIV, where greater flexibility in cognitive processing is required to meet higher task demands. These findings provide systematic and causal evidence of the process-dependent relationship of IIV and task performance in the context of Going and Stopping, suggesting a more nuanced perspective on IIV with implications for developmental, ageing and intervention studies.

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Cómo citar (APA 7)

Cañigueral, R., Ganesan, K., Smid, C. R., Thompson, A., Dosenbach, N., & Steinbeis, N. (2022). Adaptiveness of fluctuations in intra-individual variability of performance is process-dependent in middle childhood. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/y7c5d