Effects of fantasy-oriented play on the development of executive functions

Simple item page
dc.contributorConners, Frances A.
dc.contributorBarber, Angela B.
dc.contributor.advisorGilpin, Ansley T.
dc.contributor.authorThibodeau, Rachel Beth
dc.contributor.otherUniversity of Alabama Tuscaloosa
dc.date.accessioned2017-04-26T14:23:01Z
dc.date.available2017-04-26T14:23:01Z
dc.date.issued2015
dc.descriptionElectronic Thesis or Dissertationen_US
dc.description.abstractAlthough recent correlational studies have found a relationship between fantasy orientation (FO; i.e., a child's propensity to play in a fantastical realm) and higher-order cognitive skills called executive functions (EFs), no work has addressed the causality and directionality of this relationship. The present study experimentally determined the directionality of the observed relationship between FO and EFs through the training of FO in preschool-aged children. One hundred thirteen children between the ages of 2 and 5 were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: fantasy-play, realistic-play, or business-as-usual control. Results revealed that children who participated in a five-week fantasy-play intervention showed consistent improvements in inhibitory control and working memory beyond that of children who participated in realistic-play or business-as-usual control conditions. The data suggest that the relationship between FO play and EF development may be equifinal such that engaging in FO play is one of many ways to directly enhance EF development.en_US
dc.format.extent86 p.
dc.format.mediumelectronic
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.identifier.otheru0015_0000001_0001902
dc.identifier.otherThibodeau_alatus_0004M_12260
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir.ua.edu/handle/123456789/2987
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of Alabama Libraries
dc.relation.hasversionborn digital
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Electronic Theses and Dissertations
dc.relation.ispartofThe University of Alabama Libraries Digital Collections
dc.rightsAll rights reserved by the author unless otherwise indicated.en_US
dc.subjectExperimental psychology
dc.subjectDevelopmental psychology
dc.subjectCognitive psychology
dc.titleEffects of fantasy-oriented play on the development of executive functionsen_US
dc.typethesis
dc.typetext
etdms.degree.departmentUniversity of Alabama. Department of Psychology
etdms.degree.disciplinePsychology
etdms.degree.grantorThe University of Alabama
etdms.degree.levelmaster's
etdms.degree.nameM.A.
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
file_1.pdf
Size:
836.02 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Collections
Theses and Dissertations
Theses and Dissertations - Department of Psychology