Monitoring and control processes within executive functions: Is post-error slowing related to pre-error speeding in children?

Both pre-error speeding and post-error slowing reflect monitoring and control strategies. Post-error slowing is relatively well-established in children, whereas pre-error speeding is much less studied. Here we investigated (a) whether kindergarten and first-grade children show pre-error speeding in a cognitive control task (Hearts and Flowers) and, if so, (b) whether post-error slowing is associated with pre-error speeding. We analyzed the data from 153 kindergartners and 468 first-graders. Both kindergartners and first-graders showed significant pre-error speeding and post-error slowing, with no differences between the two samples in the magnitude of each. The magnitude of pre-error speeding and post-error slowing was correlated within individuals in both samples and to a similar extent. That is, children who sped up more extremely toward an error also slowed down more extremely after an error. These findings provide evidence that pre-error speeding and post-error slowing are related in children as early as kindergarten age and may in concert reflect how optimal children’s monitoring and control of their performance is in a cognitive control task.