Executive Functions and Science Achievement During the Five-to-Seven-Year Shift

Matthew H. Kim, Tracy E. Bousselot, Sammy F. Ahmed

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Scopus citations

Abstract

Executive functions (EF) are domain-general cognitive skills that predict foundational academic skills such as literacy and numeracy. However, less is known about the relation between EFs and science achievement. Thenature of this relation might be explained by the theory of mutualism, which states that development is theresult of complex and interacting processes, in which growth in one domain influences growth in another domain.The present study examined the bidirectional associations between science achievement and children’scognitive flexibility and working memory in a nationally representative sample of children in the United States(Early Childhood Longitudinal Study: Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 [ECLS-K:2011]; N = 18,174). Usingrandom intercepts cross-lagged panel modeling, results revealed a heterogeneous pattern of associationsbetween EF and science achievement, consistent with mutualism theory. Trait-like and construct stabilityemerged in the between-person and within-person estimates of EF and science. Cognitive flexibility and workingmemory in kindergarten each predicted science achievement in first grade. Science achievement at the beginningof first grade predicted cognitive flexibility at the end of first grade. There were also bidirectionalassociations between working memory and science achievement from the beginning to the end of the firstgrade year.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2119-2133
Number of pages15
JournalDevelopmental Psychology
Volume57
Issue number12
DOIs
StatePublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021. American Psychological Association

Keywords

  • Cognitive flexibility
  • Early childhood
  • Executive functions
  • Science achievement
  • Working memory

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Demography
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Life-span and Life-course Studies

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Executive Functions and Science Achievement During the Five-to-Seven-Year Shift'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this