Research On The Relationship Between Executive Function And Creativity In Rural Groups Of Different Age

Executive function,also known as executive control or cognitive control,refers to the top-down mental processes required when attention must be focused,automatic or dependent on instinct.Executive function is an umbrella term for higher cognitive functions,including a set of cognitive processes,behaviors,thoughts,and emotions that allow for self-regulation,as well as flexible adaptation to situations based on goals related to specific situational features.Executive function is thought to consist of three core components: inhibitory control,working memory,and cognitive flexibility.Creativity is seen as an individual’s ability to produce original and effective ideas or products.Studies on the two have been going on for a long time,but the research results on the relationship between the three components of executive function and creativity have not reached a unified view.The cognitive processes of executive function and creativity are based on the function of the prefrontal lobe of the brain,and both develop to varying degrees with the growth of age.This study takes rural groups as the research object to explore the relationship between executive function and creativity.In study one,52 rural children aged 5 and 6 were selected as subjects.Executive function was measured using the diurnal stroop task,reverse sorting task,post finding task,backward number task and dimension card sorting task,and creativity was measured using part of the Torrance Graphic Creative Thinking Test(TTCT).The results showed that inhibitory control and working memory,inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility,working memory and cognitive flexibility were significantly positively correlated among the three components of executive function in children aged 5 and 6.There were significant differences in executive function and creativity between children aged 5 and 6,and the scores of executive function and creativity in children aged 6 were higher than those of children aged 5.Multiple linear regression equation models with executive function subcomponents as independent variables and creativity as dependent variables have statistical significance.In study two,three age groups(adolescent group,early adult group and middle adult group)were selected from the 110 rural population.Flanker task,digital refresh task and size-parity cognitive flexibility task were used to measure inhibitory control,working memory and cognitive flexibility,respectively,and creativity was measured using AUT task.The results showed that in the flanker task,the mid-adult group had lower accuracy and longer response times than the adolescent and early adult groups.In the digital refresh task,the accuracy of the mid-adult group was significantly lower than that of the adolescent group and early adult group;in the size-parity task,the response time of the mid-adult group was significantly higher than that of the adolescent group and early adult group,and the accuracy of the early adult group was significantly higher than that of the mid-adult group.The novelty dimension and fluency dimension of creativity of the early adult group were higher than those of the middle adult group.The inhibitory control component in the adolescent group was significantly negative correlated with the fluency dimension of creativity.No correlation was found between executive function and creativity in the rural early adult group.The cognitive flexibility component of executive function in the middle adult group was negatively correlated with the flexibility dimension of creativity.Based on the above research results,the following conclusions can be drawn:(1)The scores of executive function and creativity of 6 year old children in rural areas were higher than those of 5 year old children,and there was a developing trend.(2)The executive function of rural children aged 5 and 6 has a significant predictive effect on creativity.(3)The executive function of middle adult group in rural areas has a downward trend.(4)There was a significant negative correlation between inhibition control and creativity fluency in rural adolescents,and between cognitive flexibility and creativity flexibility in rural middle-aged adults.