Developmental changes in cognitive control Temporal dynamics of task performance across trial sequences

Cognitive control refers to the ability to pursue goal‐directed behavior, in the face of otherwise more habitual or immediately compelling behaviors. Acting effectively in non-routine situations to achieve our behavioral goals, by monitoring and adjusting our performance, is a hallmark for intelligent behavior and keeps us standing in a complex dynamically changing environment. Studies designed to track the development of cognitive control across human lifespan have indicated that control processes develop gradually during childhood through adulthood. The present work further explores developmental changes in cognitive control on task performance. More specifically, the thesis examines these changes involved in adjusting performance based on detection and resolution of recently incurred actions or interference because of conflicting stimulus inputs. The focus is on temporal dynamics of task performance across trial sequences. Three types of trial-to-trial effects are central in this thesis: sequential effects, effects related to performance monitoring and adjustment, and those related to conflict monitoring and adaptation. The results yielded robust developmental trends in trial-to-trial performance adaptation across an age range between 5 and 25 years. Collectively, however, the results of this thesis question the idea that developmental change in trial-to-trial adaptation is guided by maturational changes in top-down cognitive control.