ADAPTING TO CHANGE: DEVELOPMENTAL, CLINICAL AND ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES ON COGNITIVE CONTROL DYNAMICS

This doctoral thesis explores cognitive control (CC) as a domain-general, dimensional, and contextually driven construct, shedding light on its dynamic and adaptive nature. While traditionally viewed as a static ability, CC is reinterpreted here in terms of its dimensionalities, particularly its distinction between "hot" (emotionally charged) and "cold" (emotionally neutral) processes (Zelazo & Carlson, 2012), as well as its adaptive mechanisms within different environmental contexts. The Dual Mechanism of Control (DMC) model (Braver, 2012) is leveraged to conceptualize CC as operating through proactive and reactive modes, depending on task demands. This thesis further emphasizes the dynamic adaptability of CC, exploring its modulation through environmental regularities and learning mechanisms (learning-based CC; Abrahamse et al., 2016; Braem & Egner, 2018). Specifically, proportion congruency (PC) manipulations are employed to investigate how CC evolves in response to varying task difficulty and predictability. The first major aim of this thesis was to trace the developmental trajectories of learning-based CC in typically developing children, examining how their cognitive strategies adapt to task regularities over time. This focus provides a foundation for understanding deviations in populations with atypical development, such as children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In comparing these groups, the study highlights how learning-based CC may serve as a endophenotypic marker of atypical development, with implications for early diagnosis and intervention strategies. In addition to developmental trajectories, this research investigates the impact of environmental factors on learning-based CC. The potential influence of digital content, which has been linked to short-term cognitive impairments (Kostyrka-Allchorne et al., 2017), is a key focus, as is the role of cognitively engaging content in mitigating these effects (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 2015). Additionally, this thesis examines the potential benefits of school-based yoga and mindfulness training. These practices, shown to enhance emotional regulation and cognitive function, are explored for their potential impact on learning-based CC. Overall, this thesis contributes to the sparse literature on learning-based CC in children, providing a comprehensive exploration of how it adapts to various challenges and contexts. By investigating both typical and atypical developmental trajectories and considering the influence of modern environmental factors, this work offers new insights into the dynamic nature of CC and its implications for both education and intervention. The main take-home message is that the development of CC is not only about the refinement of individual cognitive processes but also about the integration and coordination of these processes in complex, real-world situations. Embracing the complexity of reality, instead of minimizing it, can lead to more accurate insights into how CC operates in everyday life and how it varies across different developmental trajectories and neurodevelopmental disorders.