Using the Flanker Task to Examine Genetic and Environmental Contributions in Inhibitory Control Across the Preschool Period

I-Tzu Hung; Jody M Ganiban; Kimberly J Saudino

doi:10.1007/s10519-022-10129-4

Using the Flanker Task to Examine Genetic and Environmental Contributions in Inhibitory Control Across the Preschool Period

Behav Genet. 2023 Mar;53(2):132-142. doi: 10.1007/s10519-022-10129-4. Epub 2022 Nov 30.

Authors

I-Tzu Hung¹, Jody M Ganiban², Kimberly J Saudino³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA. [email protected].
² Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
³ Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Boston University, 64 Cummington Mall, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

PMID: 36449137
DOI: 10.1007/s10519-022-10129-4

Abstract

The limited research exploring genetic and environmental influences on inhibitory control (IC) in preschoolers has relied on parent ratings or simple delay tasks and has produced mixed results. The present study uses a cognitively-challenging Flanker task to examine genetic and environmental contributions to the development of early IC in a longitudinal sample of 310 same-sex twin pairs (123 MZ; 187 DZ; 51% female) assessed at ages 3, 4 and 5 years. IC was significantly heritable at each age (a²: age 3 = .36; age 4 = .36; age 5 = .35). Stability was entirely accounted for by genetic influences, and change was explained by genetic and nonshared environmental factors. No significant shared environmental influences were observed.

Keywords: Development; Flanker; Genetics; Inhibitory control; Preschoolers; Twin.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Child, Preschool
Educational Status
Environment*
Female
Humans
Male
Parents
Schools
Twins* / genetics
Twins, Dizygotic / genetics
Twins, Monozygotic / genetics

Grants and funding

R01 HD068435/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/United States