Memory Contributions to the Development of Cognitive Flexibility in Childhood

Abstract: In a rapidly changing world, being able to accomplish our goals critically depends on the ability to draw on the past to select and implement appropriate actions in the present. A child may query past experiences with situations in which behavior was successfully directed to attain a goal, and generalize that information to act adaptively in similar situations. Episodic memory, the ability to bind together and retrieve the features of an event such as where, when or with whom it occurred, is particularly important to match details from past experiences to new situations with similar goals, thereby facilitating performance. We propose that as episodic memory continues to improve across childhood, it may contribute to the increasing efficiency of cognitive flexibility, the ability to adapt our thoughts and actions to shifting environmental demands. To this end, we first review how cognitive flexibility develops across childhood. We then outline major developmental changes in long-term memory, focusing on memory for specific events and memory for general information. Next, we discuss research on the role of memory in supporting cognitive flexibility in adults. Finally, we consider how memory development may contribute to the development of cognitive flexibility across childhood.