Your child taught themselves to read at four. They ask questions about black holes at dinner. Their teacher says they are “ahead” but seems unsure what to do about it. Welcome to the territory of giftedness — a label that sounds like an unambiguous blessing and is in practice a …
Executive function is the umbrella term for the cognitive control processes that allow children to manage their attention, hold information in mind, resist impulses, and shift flexibly between tasks. It is one of the strongest single predictors of how children do in school, in friendships, and decades later in adult …
Few claims in popular science have been as durable as the idea that music makes you smarter. The 1990s “Mozart Effect” sent pregnant women rushing to buy classical-music CDs; the state of Georgia distributed one to every newborn; entire industries built themselves on the promise that the right notes would …
Working memory is the cognitive system that holds a small amount of information in mind, briefly, in a way that allows you to use it. It is the mental workspace where you keep the first half of a sentence available while reading the second half, the running list of options …
The g factor — Charles Spearman’s name for the common variance that runs through all cognitive tests — is the most replicated and the most contested construct in the science of human intelligence. Whenever a sufficiently varied battery of mental tests is administered to a sufficiently varied sample of people, …
Does reading boost intelligence in children? Explore the bidirectional relationship between reading and cognitive ability — what research shows about how books shape developing minds.
How does sleep affect children’s intelligence and academic performance? Research on sleep duration, napping, and cognitive development — plus evidence-based bedtime strategies.
How does emotional regulation affect children’s cognitive development? Research on self-control, executive function, and practical strategies for helping children manage emotions and learn effectively.
Do video games help or hurt children’s cognitive development? A balanced review of research on gaming and attention, problem-solving, and academic performance.
How does growing up in poverty affect brain development? Research on the neuroscience of socioeconomic disadvantage and evidence-based interventions that can close the cognitive gap.
