doi:10.1111/cdev.13766

Paper Title

Hidden talents in context: Cognitive performance with abstract versus ecological stimuli among adversity-exposed youth

Authors

BRUCE J. ELLIS

Willem Eduard Frankenhuis

Ethan S. Young

Danielle J. DelPriore

Keywords

Hidden Talents
Cognitive Performance
Adversity-Exposed Youth
Abstract Stimuli
Ecological Stimuli
Attention Shifting
Working Memory Updating
Environmental Unpredictability
Violence
Poverty
Developmental Science
Adversity × Task Interactions
Cognitive Abilities
Stress-Adapted Skills
Resilience

Article Type

Research Article

Journal

Child Development

Research Impact Tools

DOI

10.1111/cdev.13766

Issue

Volume : 93 | Issue : 5 | Page No : 1493-1510

Published On

October, 2022

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Abstract

Adversity-exposed youth tend to score lower on cognitive tests. However, the hidden talents approach proposes some abilities are enhanced by adversity, especially under ecologically relevant conditions. Two versions of an attention-shifting and working memory updating task—one abstract, one ecological—were administered to 618 youth (Mage = 13.62, SDage = 0.81; 48.22% female; 64.56% White). Measures of environmental unpredictability, violence, and poverty were collected to test adversity × task version interactions. There were no interactions for attention shifting. For working memory updating, youth exposed to violence and poverty scored lower than their peers with abstract stimuli but almost just as well with ecological stimuli. These results are striking compared to contemporary developmental science, which often reports lowered performance among adversity-exposed youth.