The importance of executive functions
Executive functions provide important tools for understanding human behavior.
They are cognitive functions required for efficient, goal-directed behavior, such as being able to plan, being flexible, selecting actions in a focused manner, retaining information in working memory, processing feedback, detecting error, enabling inhibition and more.
Executive functions are crucial to the effective performance of any task. Want to make a cup of coffee? Then make sure your executive functions are ready. Whether a task takes a few minutes, hours, or weeks, you always rely on the executive functions of the brain. They are crucial for our human functioning.
The core of executive functions
Key theories about executive functions always include aspects of working memory, attention, inhibition and mental flexibility. Higher executive functions, such as reasoning, problem-solving, planning, and fluid intelligence, build upon these core executive functions and actually arise from the combination of these core functions. Therefore, based on these elements, we can predict how well your executive functions perform at a higher level. Knowledge of these features will help you understand how the games measure them, and how based on that the profile is created.
Working memory
Working memory is like the “conscious eye” or “conscious ear” of your mind, where you store all the information needed for thought processes and decision-making. Working memory allows you to control your inhibition and attention. Working memory is often compared to a computer’s random-access memory (RAM) because both play a crucial role in temporarily storing and processing information.
Attention
Attention functions as the conscious lens through which you can focus on what is important in that moment. The key here is to select the relevant input, focus your attention on the right thoughts and perform the right motor actions to get one step closer to your goal. Attention plays a crucial role here.
Inhibition
When you focus your attention on something, specific information is magnified in your brain and comes to the forefront of your consciousness. With inhibition, you can suppress the tendency to do something other than the task at hand. For example, inhibition helps you not react impulsively when someone gets angry with you.
Mental flexibility
Finally, there is mental or cognitive flexibility. If you always do something the same way and it suddenly stops working, you need to try it another way or ask for advice so that you can put new instructions in your working memory. Cognitive flexibility includes creative “out-of-the-box” thinking, the ability to see things from different perspectives and the ability to adapt quickly and flexibly to changing circumstances.
If you really want to dive into it we recommend reading the scientific article “Executive Functions” by Adele Diamond (2013).