Methodology Of Frontal And Executive Function by Patrick Rabbitt

Methodology Of Frontal And Executive Function by Patrick Rabbitt

This volume reflects the pressure to develop useful models and methodologies to study executive behaviour - the ability to update information in working memory in order to control selective attention to formulate plans of action and to monitor their efficient execution. Many models are based on the concept of a single "central executive" that manges these functions; others propose a number of independent "working memory systems" that each serve one task or activity but not others.; This book is a collection of essays by active researchers who discuss their own work on the definition of "executive" or "controlled" behaviours, and on the relation of these behaviours to specific areas of the frontal cortex. The papers are particularly concerned with logical difficulties that arise in defining these functions that lead, in turn, to methodological difficulties in studying them. In particular, they discuss such problems as the low test-re-test reliability of tasks that have been used to define and explore "executive" behaviours, the limited validity of these tasks in predicting performance deficits, the poor localization of the changes observed with respect to underlying brain function, and the relation of performance on these tasks to individual difference in performance on measures of "global" or "general" intellectual ability such as Spearman's 1927 gf.; The authors discuss their own research on the relations between cognitive function and neuropsychology, on changes in executive competence in conditions such as closed head injuries or dementias that may diffusely affect the whole brain, and on changes in executive function in normal old age.

'[T]he book offers many delights and is rewardingRabbitt has assembled a large and distinguished set of writers and, as might be expected, the scholarly standards are high. Rabbitt's introductory chapter in particular is a model of clarity warmly recommended.' - Review in British Journal of Development Psychology, Vol 17, Iss 4, 1999, by Ian Stuart-Hamilton, Worcester College of Higher Eduction.

Patrick Rabbitt worked for the University of Oxford as a lecturer in psychology (1968-1982); the University of Durham as Professor of Psychology and head of department in (1982-1983); and the University of Manchester, in the Research Chair in Gerontology and Cognitive Psychology and Director of the Age and Cognitive Performance Research Centre (1983-2004). He is currently Associated Researcher at the Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780863774850
ISBN 10	0863774857
Title	Methodology Of Frontal And Executive Function
Author	Patrick Rabbitt
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Taylor & Francis Ltd
Year published	1997-12-05
Number of pages	272
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.