Preschoolers Inhibitory Control Development, Affecting Factors And Their Adaptation And Social Relations

Recently, many researchers have attached great importance to the study of children's inhibitory control. Inhibitory Control, IC, refers to an ability by which an individual inhibits his respond to an irrelevant he pursues cognitive representations. The study selected the tasks from the"cool"inhibitory control only involved in cognition and the"hot"inhibitory control with emotion to invest the development of inhibitory control, and the relationships with child rearing practices and children's social behavior.The study measured the inhibitory control of 3-5 years old children (N=210) in different conditions through the methods of experiments and questionnaire. Every child must attend seven tasks follow the order,while the parents must accomplish"Child rearing practices report",and the teachers should finish the questionnaire of"Children's social behavior". The seven tasks were: 1."Day/Night"task, which measured the"cool"inhibitory control. Children must withhold a predominant response in rules. 2."Pencil Tap"task, which is a"cool"task. In this task, it's important to use rules to control small muscle. 3."Dragon Bear"task is a"cool"task, too. In this task, it's important to use rules to control big muscle. 4."Less is More"task is a"hot"task, in which children must point to a smaller reward (two candies) to receive a larger reward (five candies). 5."Gift delay (wrap)"task . It is a"hot"inhibitory control task, in which the experimenter reminded the children not to peek"so it will be a big surprise".6."Disappointted Gift"task . It is a"hot"inhibitory control task that invested the children's response to the task when inspired with the feeling of hate. 7."Keep Secret"task about"hot"executive function, which measured if children withhold a predominant response with emotion.The results revealed that: (1) There were significant differences in the development of children's inhibitory control. The key period of"cool"inhibitory control was from age 3 to 4 and 4 to 5, but it developed slowly from 4 to 5. The key period of"hot"inhibitory control was from age 4 to 5. (2) There has statistical significance in boys and girls in Pencil Tap and Gift delay. (3) There were closely relationships between inhibitory control and the parent's control. The parent's rating rearing practices would predict the development of inhibitory control. (4) There were closely relationships between children's social adaption and inhibitory control. The"hot"inhibitory control could predict the children's social adaption.