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Welcome to the World of Executive Functions

What are executive functions?

Think of executive functions as your brain’s personal management team – they help you stay on task, hold and manipulate information, and adjust when life throws a curveball. This interactive platform lets you explore how these higher-order cognitive processes shape your ability to reach your goals, resist temptations and stay on task. Whether you’re a student aiming to sharpen your focus, an educator unlocking new insights, a parent supporting a child, an entrepreneur, a would-be inventor or anyone simply curious about how your brain handles new challenges, this site will take you on an exciting journey into the fascinating world of executive functions!

What are the three core executive functions?

Inhibitory
Control

Working
Memory

Cognitive
Flexibility

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So Neil, why should I bother learning about executive functions? How does it benefit me?

Don't you want

a better quality of life
better physical and mental health
higher income and better jobs
greater success in education and life pursuits
to build and maintain quality friendships
to manage stress more effectively
to have a happier marriage
to be less likely to lose your temper or get in a traffic accident

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10,11

Why should you learn about executive functions?

Understanding and improving your EFs can transform how you handle everyday tasks and long-term goals, from personal growth to career success. A study that followed 1,000 children from birth to age 32 found that adults who had stronger inhibitory control as children – meaning they were more persistent, less impulsive, and better at regulating their attention – enjoyed better health, held higher-paying jobs, and reported greater happiness compared to their peers with weaker inhibitory control. These outcomes remained significant even after accounting for various factors such as social class and IQ . Having better EFs facilities having better health and being happier. Even small improvements in inhibitory control at the individual level could shift the overall distribution of life outcomes in a positive direction, leading to significant improvements in national health, wealth, and crime rates.

Improving EFs can have meaningful, widespread benefits not only for individuals but for society as a whole!

Stronger Executive Functions

are associated with

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Better Mental Health

EFs are strongly associated with mental health outcomes. EFs help individuals manage their emotions and behaviors more effectively, lowering the risk of anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges.

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Better Physical Health

Better EFs, particularly self-control, are associated with healthier dietary choices and higher physical activity levels, contributing to better physical health.

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School Readiness
and Success

Better EFs are associated with higher school readiness and academic performance at both the school and university level.

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Job Success

EFs contribute to productivity and job stability, while poor EFs are linked to difficulty maintaining employment, meeting job demands, and adapting to workplace challenges.

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Interpersonal Relationships

EFs facilitate emotional control and dependable behaviour in interpersonal relationships

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Reduced Crime Involvement

Poor EFs can result in risky, impulsive behaviours and social problems, including crime, reckless behaviour, and violence, which can negatively impact community safety.

References

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Longitudinal relations between impaired executive function and symptoms of psychiatric disorders in childhood. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 2022 Apr 27;63(12):1574–82. 5.Balconi M, Angioletti L, Crivelli D. Neuro-Empowerment of Executive Functions in the Workplace: The Reason Why. Frontiers in Psychology. 2020 Jul 31;11. 6.Robson DA, Allen MS, Howard SJ. Self-regulation in childhood as a predictor of future outcomes: A meta-analytic review. Psychological Bulletin. 2020 Apr;146(4):324–54. 7.Miller S, Avila B, Reavis R. Middle Childhood. The Journal of Genetic Psychology. 2020;181(2-3):78–94. 8.Kato T. Coping with Stress, Executive Functions, and Depressive Symptoms: Focusing on Flexible Responses to Stress. Journal of Clinical Medicine. 2021 Jul 15;10(14):3122. 9.Eakin L, Minde K, Hechtman L, Ochs E, Krane E, Bouffard R, et al. The marital and family functioning of adults with ADHD and their spouses. 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