Latent-variable batteries
Separate shared and specific executive variance.
Methods range from latent-variable psychometrics to lesion-symptom mapping and network imaging — each with impurity problems.
Triangulate tasks; never trust a single game score.
Tools
fMRI / MEG
Map frontoparietal dynamics during control.
TMS / tDCS
Causal perturbation of prefrontal nodes — interpret carefully.
Lesion-symptom mapping
Links focal damage to control deficits.
Ecological momentary assessment
Captures real-world lapses beyond the lab.
Computational models
Drift-diffusion and control-allocation formalisms.
Protocols
Unity/diversity CFA
Confirmatory factor models à la Miyake.
Adaptive n-back training trials
Test transfer with active controls.
Dual-task interference designs
Probe capacity limits under load.
Longitudinal developmental cohorts
Track prefrontal maturation and outcomes.
Limits
Task impurity
Every task mixes control with domain skills.
Practice effects
Retests improve without true capacity change.
WEIRD sampling
Norms may not generalise across cultures.
Preregister far-transfer claims; most fail.
Sources & research
- Executive functionsDevelopmental synthesis of EF components and interventions.DOIPubMed
- The unity and diversity of executive functions and their contributions to complex "frontal lobe" tasks: a latent variable analysisCanonical unity/diversity latent-variable paper.DOIPubMed
- Working memory: looking back and looking forwardWorking-memory architecture overview.DOIPubMed
- An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex functionBiased competition account of PFC control.DOIPubMed
- The prefrontal cortex—an update: time is of the essenceTemporal organisation of frontal action.DOIPubMed
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