One of the major shifts in scientists’ thinking about cognitive control in recent years has been the recognition that control is motivated. In other words, we engage cognitive control to plan and guide a task because, at some level, we are motivated to do that task. This simple recognition has …
Inhibition is arguably the function most colloquially associated with cognitive control. When we think of self-control or willpower, it is often our ability to stop ourselves from doing unwanted, distracting, or maladaptive tasks that we are thinking about. And it follows that the construct of inhibition has played a significant …
In my last post, I introduced the role of working memory in cognitive control as a source of contextual support. I then discussed the metaphor of a working memory gate that controls input and output from working memory. In today’s post, I will drill down a bit more into one …
In today’s post, I will introduce an example of one proposed mechanism of cognitive control that is discussed in detail in my book, On Task. This is the mechanism of working memory gating. Consider an example of an everyday act of control. You are driving your car when your cell …
The flexibility of human behavior In the early part of 2020, millions of people around the world radically altered their daily behavior in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We acquired new means of remote work, collaboration, and learning. We found new ways to entertain ourselves, to socialize, to grocery shop, …
