In this second episode of the executive function series, Dr. Regan breaks down how speed, working memory, and sequencing impact daily life.

I Love Lucy chocolate factory TV clip

Executive Function Book Series by Dawson and Guare:

Smart But Scattered (children's version)

Smart But Scattered (Teen version)

Smart But Scattered (adult version)

Dr. Regan's Master Class for Clinicians (Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec 2023)

Zur Institute: Master Class

Dr. Regan's Resources

Book: Understanding Autism in Adults and Aging Adults, 2nd ed

Audiobook

Book: Understanding Autistic Behaviors

Autism in the Adult website homepage

Website Resources for Clinicians

Read the transcript:

1
00:00:05,570 --> 00:00:06,059
Hello,

2
00:00:06,070 --> 00:00:06,820
everyone.

3
00:00:06,829 --> 00:00:08,659
This is Doctor Regan.

4
00:00:08,670 --> 00:00:13,670
I'm joining you for an episode of Autism in the adult podcast.

5
00:00:14,020 --> 00:00:14,880
For those of you.

6
00:00:14,890 --> 00:00:16,260
New to the podcast.

7
00:00:16,270 --> 00:00:18,020
I'm a neuropsychologist,

8
00:00:18,030 --> 00:00:20,190
a certified autism specialist,

9
00:00:20,420 --> 00:00:25,180
and the founder and director of an autism diagnostic clinic for adolescents,

10
00:00:25,190 --> 00:00:28,940
adults and aging adults in Central Illinois.

11
00:00:29,549 --> 00:00:35,240
And today you are listening to the second episode in a series on executive function.

12
00:00:35,750 --> 00:00:47,139
And this is a topic we're covering because many of the strengths and challenges that go along with the autistic neurology fall within the realm of executive function.

13
00:00:48,849 --> 00:00:51,619
Before we dive into that topic for today,

14
00:00:51,759 --> 00:00:58,540
I'd like to thank Amanda who pointed out that my diagnostic terms in the first episode were imprecise.

15
00:00:58,830 --> 00:01:03,279
I use terms that are common in my day to day interactions with patients,

16
00:01:03,290 --> 00:01:04,819
families and physicians,

17
00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:07,900
which are the terms ADD and ADHD.

18
00:01:08,089 --> 00:01:09,099
However,

19
00:01:09,110 --> 00:01:16,800
the most precise and current terminology is ADHD predominantly inattentive presentation.

20
00:01:17,379 --> 00:01:21,389
ADHD predominantly hyperactive -

21
00:01:21,470 --> 00:01:26,199
impulsive presentation, or ADHD combined presentation.

22
00:01:27,379 --> 00:01:29,589
And I guess in reviewing that in my mind,

23
00:01:29,599 --> 00:01:32,720
I think it's similar with the term dementia,

24
00:01:32,730 --> 00:01:37,550
which is often still used in day to day language in clinical settings,

25
00:01:37,559 --> 00:01:42,690
even though the most recent and precise term is major neurocognitive disorder.

26
00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:43,650
So,

27
00:01:43,660 --> 00:01:44,410
thanks Amanda,

28
00:01:44,419 --> 00:01:51,279
I'll stick to being precise and specific in podcasts about the topic of ADHD

29
00:01:51,839 --> 00:01:55,230
And instead of using each of the subtypes,

30
00:01:55,239 --> 00:02:07,379
I will just use the term ADHD unless I'm speaking about specific features of one subtype. As we discussed in the first episode,

31
00:02:07,389 --> 00:02:16,580
executive function is really a broad term and it's includes multiple subfunctions or subcategories.

32
00:02:17,179 --> 00:02:33,800
And this is a series that I really encourage you to listen to the first episode before listening to subsequent episodes because it really went through a lot of layers of explaining executive function, ADHD, and autism ...

33
00:02:34,350 --> 00:02:37,160
how those relate or don't relate to each other.

34
00:02:38,539 --> 00:02:43,720
So the subcategories of executive function include things like attention,

35
00:02:43,990 --> 00:02:45,919
goal directed persistence,

36
00:02:45,929 --> 00:02:47,949
organization, response

37
00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:50,020
inhibition and several more.

38
00:02:50,440 --> 00:02:50,990
In fact,

39
00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:53,229
depending on what source you're using,

40
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:57,669
there can be about 12 or so sub functions identified,

41
00:02:57,679 --> 00:03:06,410
even though there's really no complete agreement on how to list out the sub functions within executive function.

42
00:03:08,110 --> 00:03:17,000
There are two main developmental diagnoses with large executive function components and these include ADHD and autism,

43
00:03:18,710 --> 00:03:23,160
the ADHD criteria, as we talked about in the previous episode,

44
00:03:23,339 --> 00:03:28,899
only describe symptoms falling within about four of the subcategories.

45
00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:35,460
I would label these subcategories in the ADHD as organization,

46
00:03:35,500 --> 00:03:41,690
attention, response inhibition, and goal directed persistence. For example,

47
00:03:41,699 --> 00:03:50,500
"fails to give close attention to details or makes careless mistakes" is one of the criteria that can be met in ADHD.

48
00:03:50,919 --> 00:04:08,720
And I would say that, as a symptom, that falls within the subcategory of attention. "Blurts out answers before questions have been completed" is an ADHD symptom that falls within the executive function

49
00:04:08,729 --> 00:04:13,100
subcategory of response inhibition.

50
00:04:13,809 --> 00:04:20,420
So is somebody able to inhibit or stop a response until they think it through?

51
00:04:21,890 --> 00:04:31,679
So autism will present with core executive function features in some combination as well across the totality of the 12 categories.

52
00:04:31,959 --> 00:04:40,040
And these features are some of the strengths and gifts within the autism presentation.

53
00:04:40,049 --> 00:04:45,309
and also some of the challenges. In this episode,

54
00:04:45,320 --> 00:04:48,559
we're going to focus on the executive function

55
00:04:48,570 --> 00:04:53,600
sub features of working memory, speed, and sequencing.

56
00:04:54,100 --> 00:05:01,769
And I've chosen these abilities to highlight together because we often use them together to accomplish daily tasks.

57
00:05:02,059 --> 00:05:06,010
And I'm hoping that in explaining them and presenting them together,

58
00:05:06,049 --> 00:05:14,709
you'll be able to watch yourself or watch other people in your life to see how these executive function abilities work for them.

59
00:05:16,929 --> 00:05:18,720
Similar to the last episode,

60
00:05:18,730 --> 00:05:22,329
I'm going to walk you through various levels of information.

61
00:05:22,339 --> 00:05:24,940
So stick with me.

62
00:05:24,950 --> 00:05:34,839
First, I want to make a comparison between the center of the brain, which is called the subcortical areas, and a conveyor belt.

63
00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:36,329
You'll,

64
00:05:36,339 --> 00:05:41,320
you've probably heard that the brain has both gray matter and white matter.

65
00:05:42,929 --> 00:05:44,720
The outside of the brain and

66
00:05:45,089 --> 00:05:54,059
certain areas in the center are gray and these gray matter sections are connected by white matter tracts.

67
00:05:55,109 --> 00:06:04,440
The color white comes from the fact that there's a fatty substance called myelin covering these neuron tracks.

68
00:06:04,450 --> 00:06:13,290
And the presence of the fatty covering allows the nerve signals to travel faster than without that covering.

69
00:06:13,399 --> 00:06:19,579
So the center of the brain impacts speed of thinking and processing.

70
00:06:20,540 --> 00:06:23,829
So in conditions like multiple sclerosis,

71
00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:24,989
for example,

72
00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,869
where you have demyelinating,

73
00:06:28,410 --> 00:06:31,989
that is the white matter starts to degrade,

74
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:37,029
one of the features can be a slowing of processing.

75
00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:51,100
So the first point is that speed is a function of the subcortical pathways that impact executive function and several autistic characteristics.

76
00:06:51,109 --> 00:06:55,640
So we do want to focus on this subcategory of speed.

77
00:06:57,649 --> 00:07:01,179
Another subcategory is working memory.

78
00:07:02,950 --> 00:07:05,600
What is this part of executive function?

79
00:07:05,869 --> 00:07:06,160
Well,

80
00:07:06,170 --> 00:07:08,880
even though we call it working memory,

81
00:07:09,239 --> 00:07:16,350
a neuropsychologist or a cognitive scientist might say it's actually really more attention than memory

82
00:07:16,829 --> 00:07:30,880
in that it has to do with the amount of information a person can hold within their attention without storing it by really memorizing it for later.

83
00:07:31,700 --> 00:07:35,589
So it usually doesn't end up in permanent memory.

84
00:07:35,929 --> 00:07:40,670
But we're able to hold information our in our attention.

85
00:07:41,549 --> 00:07:54,390
And some people have a really strong working memory and others really struggle with this. And you'll see different estimates probably about how large working memory generally is.

86
00:07:54,779 --> 00:08:02,779
But most times a person can hold about five plus or minus two bits of information in their attention.

87
00:08:03,679 --> 00:08:07,209
This makes sense because if you were

89
00:08:07,769 --> 00:08:12,690
using phones in the old days where we didn't have cell phones and

90
00:08:12,700 --> 00:08:14,670
phone numbers in our phone ...

91
00:08:14,970 --> 00:08:20,799
a lot of times someone would tell us their phone number or we'd look at it in a phone book and we'd have to

93
00:08:21,149 --> 00:08:26,350
kind of rehearse it in our working memory while we dialed.

94
00:08:26,359 --> 00:08:31,489
So we held seven digits ... in those days...

95
00:08:32,190 --> 00:08:38,090
in our mind while we pushed in the information to the phone.

96
00:08:40,789 --> 00:08:43,140
So let me give another illustration.

97
00:08:43,299 --> 00:08:45,469
Working memory is what we use,

98
00:08:45,479 --> 00:08:46,309
for example,

99
00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,609
if we hear an instruction with ...

100
00:08:48,619 --> 00:08:52,099
let's say three parts to it and we go to carry it out.

101
00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,010
Our boss may ask us to print the schedule for the day,

102
00:08:57,250 --> 00:09:01,809
put a copy on her desk, and check the phone messages from overnight.

103
00:09:02,929 --> 00:09:07,559
So we have to keep these tasks in mind while doing them.

104
00:09:07,570 --> 00:09:11,359
We have to hold them in our mind.

105
00:09:11,500 --> 00:09:15,849
And although we may recall the sequence of requests later in the day,

106
00:09:15,859 --> 00:09:22,320
we're unlikely to remember them in a month or a year because we haven't memorized them.

107
00:09:23,299 --> 00:09:25,190
But while we're carrying them out.

108
00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:31,179
We may be able to keep them in mind because they're in our working memory.

109
00:09:31,450 --> 00:09:37,469
So the term working means that we keep things in mind while we're using them.

110
00:09:37,479 --> 00:09:44,950
I'm using this information of what the three tasks are while I'm accomplishing the tasks.

111
00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,619
Working memory is what we use when we walk into a room for something.

112
00:09:50,900 --> 00:09:55,950
And then sometimes if the information has left our working memory,

113
00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,270
we feel frustrated that oh,

114
00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,869
I walked into a room to get something and now it's gone.

115
00:10:02,109 --> 00:10:05,489
That's something that has slipped through our working memory.

116
00:10:07,250 --> 00:10:08,229
Similarly,

117
00:10:08,239 --> 00:10:09,299
we may say,

118
00:10:09,309 --> 00:10:09,340
oh,

119
00:10:09,349 --> 00:10:10,219
shoot,

120
00:10:10,229 --> 00:10:12,599
I was going to say something or ask something,

121
00:10:12,609 --> 00:10:14,000
but I forgot what it was.

122
00:10:14,859 --> 00:10:21,489
We were keeping it in our mind while the other person finished their sentence.

123
00:10:21,500 --> 00:10:24,179
But then by the time they were finished,

124
00:10:24,229 --> 00:10:27,229
our thought had slipped through our working memory.

125
00:10:27,239 --> 00:10:30,789
It wasn't held the way that we wanted it to be.

126
00:10:30,799 --> 00:10:36,770
And so we were unable to bring it back when the person,

128
00:10:37,960 --> 00:10:39,789
signaled that it was our turn.

129
00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:51,950
So to summarize our abilities within executive function stem anatomically from the center and the front part of the brain pathways,

130
00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,780
the subcortical pathways that connect with the frontal lobes.

131
00:10:55,789 --> 00:11:01,719
And these pathways include white matter which impacts how quickly someone can think,

132
00:11:01,729 --> 00:11:03,340
process and respond.

133
00:11:03,900 --> 00:11:08,130
And this part of the brain also impacts working memory,

134
00:11:08,140 --> 00:11:14,349
which is our ability to hold information in mind while we work with and use it.

135
00:11:15,409 --> 00:11:26,900
So let's tie these concepts speed and working memory with the conveyor belt image that I mentioned earlier in the talk about the third piece for today,

136
00:11:26,909 --> 00:11:36,059
which is sequencing. A sequence of something is the order in which the things occur or they're arranged.

137
00:11:36,270 --> 00:11:41,020
And when we listened to our boss ask us to do three things,

138
00:11:41,030 --> 00:11:44,210
she presented them in a certain sequence.

139
00:11:44,219 --> 00:11:46,349
And when we listen to someone,

140
00:11:46,789 --> 00:11:50,820
the words and their meanings and concepts,

141
00:11:50,830 --> 00:12:00,309
these come toward our ears and into our brains as sequences of data. Picture that conveyor belt.

142
00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:01,109
Now,

143
00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:07,289
a conveyor belt is a surface that moves and it brings items to you.

144
00:12:07,809 --> 00:12:15,039
A person in a factory may work with items coming toward them on a moving surface.

145
00:12:15,380 --> 00:12:18,630
Perhaps they're employed to sort the items.

146
00:12:18,710 --> 00:12:19,869
For example,

147
00:12:19,880 --> 00:12:23,859
here come green and red candies.

148
00:12:23,869 --> 00:12:40,484
And I'm employed to take the green candies coming toward me and put them in the green box and to take the red candies and put them in the red box. Or maybe someone's employed to assemble something. As the item comes toward you,

149
00:12:40,494 --> 00:12:42,385
you add this piece,

150
00:12:42,395 --> 00:12:50,575
then you place it back on the moving belt and the next person will add the next piece and so forth.

151
00:12:50,585 --> 00:12:54,804
So items come to you in a sequence,

152
00:12:54,815 --> 00:12:57,205
one item after another,

153
00:12:57,215 --> 00:12:58,445
after another,

154
00:13:00,450 --> 00:13:09,960
the items also come with a particular speed on this moving surface and it can be increased .. like wow,

155
00:13:09,969 --> 00:13:14,260
the items are really coming quickly now... or slowed down.

156
00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:21,830
You can see that if the speed is set for a pace that most people can keep up with,

157
00:13:21,840 --> 00:13:24,900
there will be success in completing the task.

158
00:13:25,250 --> 00:13:31,169
But maybe there would even be a pace that would be too slow for the workers.

159
00:13:31,390 --> 00:13:32,489
For example,

160
00:13:32,500 --> 00:13:34,349
a worker might get bored.

161
00:13:34,539 --> 00:13:37,330
If the items aren't coming fast enough.

162
00:13:38,270 --> 00:13:42,039
a bored worker might have distraction and restlessness.

163
00:13:42,049 --> 00:13:42,059
Oh,

164
00:13:42,070 --> 00:13:42,969
my gosh.

165
00:13:42,979 --> 00:13:44,510
This is so slow.

166
00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:47,090
If the pace were too fast,

167
00:13:47,099 --> 00:13:50,770
the worker wouldn't be able to use all the items coming toward them.

168
00:13:50,780 --> 00:13:52,400
Things would get past them,

169
00:13:52,440 --> 00:13:59,609
things would get missed and only a portion of the items could be manipulated and used for that task.

170
00:14:00,659 --> 00:14:07,349
So the speed and the number of items coming at us needs to be at a just right spot.

171
00:14:08,780 --> 00:14:12,729
My favorite image for this is a classic,

172
00:14:12,739 --> 00:14:26,489
I love Lucy clip from the Chocolate Factory television episode. This episode aired in 1952 and it's considered one of the funniest of the whole comedy series.

173
00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:38,130
I've linked a clip of the Chocolate Factory scene with the conveyor belt in the show notes for those of you who would like to view it or who haven't seen it.

174
00:14:38,140 --> 00:14:51,250
It's a great demonstration of what can go wrong if the speed of the moving belt is too slow or too fast or if too many items are being sequenced on the conveyor belt at once.

175
00:14:54,169 --> 00:14:57,700
Now let's get back to the conveyor belt in our minds.

176
00:14:57,710 --> 00:15:03,270
So if my boss is giving me instructions with multiple details or steps,

177
00:15:03,739 --> 00:15:17,219
it is as if the words or chunks of information are coming toward me from her voice into my mind ... just like the little pieces of chocolate on the conveyor belt

178
00:15:17,229 --> 00:15:18,849
in the comedy clip.

179
00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:24,369
The speed of the conveyor belt is how quickly she's speaking.

180
00:15:24,780 --> 00:15:31,669
And my perception of the speed is impacted by how quickly my brain can process and keep up.

181
00:15:31,700 --> 00:15:35,340
If my brain's conveyor belt is slower.

182
00:15:35,349 --> 00:15:37,200
If I have slower information

183
00:15:37,210 --> 00:15:44,609
processing, the speed that she's giving me information for the conveyor belt may be overwhelming to me.

184
00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,559
Or if I have really fast processing,

185
00:15:48,750 --> 00:15:56,630
I may get really bored and distracted while she's talking because there's just not enough that's new coming toward me.

186
00:15:58,960 --> 00:16:01,130
Let's take another example,

187
00:16:01,229 --> 00:16:04,549
this one involving a student in a class.

188
00:16:04,630 --> 00:16:08,919
So a teacher is presenting information to the class.

189
00:16:08,950 --> 00:16:18,429
The student is required to receive the bits of information at the speed they're presenting as if in the conveyor belt analogy.

190
00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:20,369
And here comes new information.

191
00:16:20,380 --> 00:16:34,260
Then the student must hold the information in mind while deciding what parts to write in their notebook or to type in their laptop.

192
00:16:34,429 --> 00:16:38,099
All of this must be done while the teacher is still speaking.

193
00:16:38,489 --> 00:16:40,849
And this is all executive function.

194
00:16:40,859 --> 00:16:43,630
So we'll touch on this in a different episode,

195
00:16:43,640 --> 00:16:49,349
but the student must use another piece of executive function in this task as well ...

196
00:16:49,409 --> 00:16:50,909
prioritization.

197
00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:57,010
So I'm receiving a lot of information on this conveyor belt from the teacher.

198
00:16:57,020 --> 00:17:08,349
But what information is important for my notes and what is not important. To what do I give priority when there's a lot on the conveyor belt.

199
00:17:08,729 --> 00:17:09,668
For example,

200
00:17:09,678 --> 00:17:13,348
it's not necessary to write down every word

201
00:17:13,359 --> 00:17:16,668
the teacher is saying. What the efficient,

202
00:17:16,678 --> 00:17:22,529
just-right thing to do would be to pick out these most important things,

203
00:17:22,538 --> 00:17:23,409
these themes,

204
00:17:23,418 --> 00:17:25,529
these categories, definitions,

205
00:17:25,538 --> 00:17:26,188
dates,

206
00:17:26,239 --> 00:17:30,308
these are the things we need to jot down in our notes.

207
00:17:30,359 --> 00:17:35,668
And our executive function is what helps us with this whole process.

208
00:17:36,069 --> 00:17:36,520
Now,

209
00:17:36,530 --> 00:17:38,319
if it's working well,

210
00:17:38,449 --> 00:17:40,900
the student just does this automatically.

211
00:17:42,060 --> 00:17:45,949
If things are hard in that area of executive function,

212
00:17:46,329 --> 00:17:48,099
the person may feel like,

213
00:17:48,109 --> 00:17:48,540
gosh,

214
00:17:48,550 --> 00:17:48,560
I,

215
00:17:48,569 --> 00:17:49,760
I cannot,

216
00:17:50,729 --> 00:17:51,140
you know...

217
00:17:51,150 --> 00:17:53,500
note taking is very difficult for me.

218
00:17:53,510 --> 00:17:55,229
I just can't keep up.

219
00:17:55,239 --> 00:18:07,400
I can't keep the things in my mind while I'm writing because I either lose them because the teacher is still speaking or I lose what the teacher is now saying.

220
00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:15,839
So it either is something that happens smoothly and automatically or it really becomes a very difficult thing.

221
00:18:17,900 --> 00:18:20,290
Let me give you a social example.

222
00:18:20,579 --> 00:18:27,829
Imagine a person at a social event where a group of people are speaking about a funny experience.

223
00:18:28,300 --> 00:18:35,770
An individual in the group will need to be taking in what multiple people are saying...

224
00:18:35,890 --> 00:18:44,390
So there are multiple conveyor belts and speeds all while holding parts of the conversation in mind.

225
00:18:45,390 --> 00:18:59,500
And this person also then has to think about what they might say or contribute to the conversation and how to time what they're going to contribute and still keep up with the speed of the exchange.

226
00:19:01,930 --> 00:19:11,260
This example also involves those executive function abilities of working memory and speed and sequencing.

227
00:19:13,219 --> 00:19:15,989
Let me give you a life activity example,

228
00:19:16,770 --> 00:19:25,459
driving is a good example of a life activity that requires a person to take in multiple streams of information.

229
00:19:25,469 --> 00:19:26,040
In this case

230
00:19:26,050 --> 00:19:29,300
visual ... at varying speeds.

231
00:19:29,579 --> 00:19:36,520
Oh, this visual information is coming at me as I'm driving through the visual space.

232
00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:59,699
So the individual must first notice incoming visual details, adapt to unpredictable changes in the visual field (like, oh now I have less space in this lane than I did because the car is coming over toward me), and make quick safe decisions about how to respond.

233
00:20:00,310 --> 00:20:06,989
So one individual may feel like this all comes very automatically and at a speed that really works for them,

234
00:20:07,750 --> 00:20:15,699
another individual may feel overwhelmed by the amount of visual information coming at them in such a quick time...

235
00:20:15,839 --> 00:20:21,800
particularly because it's unpredictable and it involves safety issues.

236
00:20:21,810 --> 00:20:26,040
So if I can't keep on top of this visual information,

237
00:20:26,689 --> 00:20:31,400
I really might get in a situation that's really pretty dangerous.

238
00:20:32,479 --> 00:20:37,500
Other people while they're driving may feel concerned because they get bored.

239
00:20:37,729 --> 00:20:51,510
There's just not enough new information in the visual field to keep their mind on the road and they may find their mind wandering in a way that kind of makes them nervous and and leads them feeling like...

240
00:20:51,810 --> 00:20:54,469
they just can't focus very well while they're driving.

241
00:20:56,550 --> 00:21:00,859
What is often the case is that for many on the autism spectrum,

242
00:21:01,079 --> 00:21:18,439
they'll take longer to adjust to driving than their non autistic peers ... most often because they feel like things are really happening quickly and they can feel overwhelmed by the amount the speed and the unpredictability of information on that conveyor belt.

243
00:21:20,229 --> 00:21:22,069
So going back to our episode,

244
00:21:22,079 --> 00:21:25,569
topics of speed, working memory, and sequencing,

245
00:21:25,810 --> 00:21:31,199
we've reviewed that an individual must adapt to the speed of incoming information,

246
00:21:32,060 --> 00:21:35,949
then sequence through the items coming toward them.

247
00:21:36,479 --> 00:21:46,319
Hold enough of the information in mind that is important while then doing something with or responding to the information.

248
00:21:47,660 --> 00:21:57,680
And this is all part of the subcortical frontal pathways of the brain and the ability that globally we call executive function.

249
00:21:59,540 --> 00:22:00,479
So far,

250
00:22:00,489 --> 00:22:05,479
we've emphasized information coming toward us on the conveyor belt.

251
00:22:05,489 --> 00:22:15,589
But we can also think of executive function abilities for the information that we send out on conveyor belts to other people or to the environment.

252
00:22:16,900 --> 00:22:18,229
For example,

253
00:22:18,239 --> 00:22:25,199
how quickly do we produce a product or a response to questions from others?

254
00:22:26,219 --> 00:22:29,920
One person may be quick and efficient with tasks,

255
00:22:30,150 --> 00:22:37,920
but maybe they make a few errors on the way. Another person may finish the task more slowly,

256
00:22:37,930 --> 00:22:39,099
but to them,

257
00:22:39,109 --> 00:22:43,699
accuracy is really important and they notice a lot of detail.

258
00:22:45,390 --> 00:22:51,369
Neither of these executive function styles is inherently better than the other

259
00:22:51,380 --> 00:22:52,390
all the time.

260
00:22:52,630 --> 00:23:01,430
But the person whose executive function is more methodical and detail oriented in producing output may struggle in a job where the boss says,

261
00:23:01,439 --> 00:23:02,089
hey,

262
00:23:02,150 --> 00:23:05,020
the priority on this project is speed.

263
00:23:05,030 --> 00:23:08,130
I need this quickly. And vice versa.

264
00:23:08,140 --> 00:23:17,930
The individual who works quickly and decisively may really struggle at jobs where the smallest detail can make or break a project.

265
00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:27,930
Individuals who make decisions more slowly may show resistance when pressed for an answer or an action.

266
00:23:29,319 --> 00:23:37,910
Other people may almost feel this psychological opposition when they try to encourage the person to decide or to move on.

267
00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:40,500
Let's take an action.

268
00:23:40,510 --> 00:23:42,359
Let's stop thinking about it.

269
00:23:43,430 --> 00:23:52,579
One example could be adult children trying to press their dad to get his roof fixed. If he has executive function

270
00:23:52,589 --> 00:23:56,030
that's significant for being very slow,

271
00:23:56,040 --> 00:23:57,530
methodical...

272
00:23:57,680 --> 00:24:04,130
He may forever be saying things like "I'll think about that" or "I'll know when the time is right,"

273
00:24:04,400 --> 00:24:07,439
but there's never any real movement toward action.

274
00:24:07,449 --> 00:24:09,099
There's this stickiness,

275
00:24:09,109 --> 00:24:15,680
the conveyor belt toward decisiveness kind of gets stuck. Again,

276
00:24:15,689 --> 00:24:19,260
this approach to action is not right or wrong,

277
00:24:19,270 --> 00:24:25,800
but it's about whether it works for him in certain instances and against him and others.

278
00:24:26,030 --> 00:24:28,219
And when the roof is falling in,

279
00:24:28,229 --> 00:24:31,219
it's really likely working against him.

280
00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:43,489
Another factor that impacts whether something helps a situation or not is how extreme or inflexible the executive function reaction is in that situation.

281
00:24:44,079 --> 00:24:45,949
So for example,

282
00:24:46,239 --> 00:24:51,810
if we have this situation with the dad and his roof...

284
00:24:51,839 --> 00:25:00,250
a really extreme slow and resistant response to the need for action in that circumstance...

285
00:25:00,260 --> 00:25:00,540
well,

286
00:25:00,550 --> 00:25:01,880
that's creating safety,

287
00:25:01,890 --> 00:25:02,530
health,

288
00:25:02,540 --> 00:25:05,930
financial issues ... that it really could hurt the person.

289
00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:08,349
Ideally,

290
00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:13,770
our brain is supposed to help us have the just right amount of speed,

291
00:25:14,359 --> 00:25:14,650
(you know,

292
00:25:14,660 --> 00:25:16,300
not too quickly,

293
00:25:16,310 --> 00:25:19,439
not too slowly) and sequencing.

294
00:25:19,790 --> 00:25:27,349
I see details that are important but I can let other things go so that I can get to the best outcome.

295
00:25:27,770 --> 00:25:30,199
And when it's important to, you

296
00:25:30,209 --> 00:25:33,510
can adjust to the situation itself.

297
00:25:33,520 --> 00:25:33,900
Wow,

298
00:25:33,910 --> 00:25:37,540
I didn't expect this situation but I can adjust to that.

299
00:25:39,459 --> 00:25:48,989
But sometimes the struggle that a person is having is really that it's hard to get to that just right spot for ... for anything,

300
00:25:49,000 --> 00:25:51,880
whether it's speed or executive function or,

301
00:25:51,890 --> 00:26:00,180
or anything else in life ... rather than sometimes swinging to that too much extreme.

302
00:26:02,329 --> 00:26:13,569
One more example of the sequencing of output could be seen when multiple smaller actions are needed to complete a larger task.

303
00:26:14,099 --> 00:26:20,699
So a classic example of this would be the parental request that their child clean his room.

304
00:26:21,680 --> 00:26:32,449
So the child has to think through all of the pieces of action that will need to be engaged with in order to get this finished product.

305
00:26:32,849 --> 00:26:37,989
It's almost like saying what are all the pieces I need to put on this conveyor belt,

306
00:26:38,020 --> 00:26:46,030
all the pieces that I need to to bring together for the whole action of having a clean room or the whole outcome.

307
00:26:47,310 --> 00:26:48,500
There's a first step,

308
00:26:48,510 --> 00:26:49,400
a second step,

309
00:26:49,410 --> 00:27:01,109
a third step ... all on the conveyor belt until a finished product is reached. Some ways in which this executive function task can get stuck would include...

310
00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:01,930
"Wow,

311
00:27:01,939 --> 00:27:06,599
there are so many actions or pieces to the task.

312
00:27:07,040 --> 00:27:10,829
I just don't know where to start.

313
00:27:11,949 --> 00:27:12,930
I'm stuck.

314
00:27:12,939 --> 00:27:16,599
I'm overwhelmed by the amount of possibility.

315
00:27:16,880 --> 00:27:23,709
I can't get my direction to navigate the task even though I could do all of these little pieces,

316
00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:25,310
where should I start?"

317
00:27:25,930 --> 00:27:28,400
And this is often the situation.

318
00:27:29,089 --> 00:27:31,959
And the parent may say,

319
00:27:31,969 --> 00:27:32,170
"Hey,

320
00:27:32,180 --> 00:27:33,369
start wherever you want,

321
00:27:33,380 --> 00:27:34,449
it doesn't matter."

322
00:27:35,349 --> 00:27:41,739
But that's not likely to help the child who actually needs someone to sequence the task with them.

323
00:27:42,089 --> 00:27:43,810
Tell me where to start.

324
00:27:43,829 --> 00:27:46,319
How can I get going with this task?

325
00:27:46,709 --> 00:27:49,630
And then after I do the task,

326
00:27:50,239 --> 00:27:51,619
... the first task,

328
00:27:51,849 --> 00:27:53,739
what's the second task I should do?

329
00:27:53,750 --> 00:27:59,199
How should I string things along without getting overwhelmed or stuck or lost?

330
00:28:00,739 --> 00:28:11,000
The child knows how to do each little part of the task but doesn't have the sequencing ability to navigate this larger task without assistance.

331
00:28:11,010 --> 00:28:22,510
And so the parent who realizes this might take a picture representing each smaller task ... like a photo of clothes in the laundry basket,

332
00:28:23,010 --> 00:28:25,750
a photo of books on the bookshelf,

333
00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:34,650
a photo of the bed made ... whatever the five or seven steps to having a clean room might be.

334
00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:39,849
You can put these photos up in a place where the child can see them.

335
00:28:41,369 --> 00:28:45,739
The child then can look at the photos independently and see...

336
00:28:45,750 --> 00:28:50,199
Oh the first photo is clothes in the the clothes hamper.

337
00:28:50,209 --> 00:28:56,800
So I'm gonna do that first... and sometimes the child likes to take the photo down when the task is done.

338
00:28:57,099 --> 00:28:58,959
And so "I know that's done."

339
00:29:01,010 --> 00:29:10,609
That's just one way to help teach an executive function skill for someone who is overwhelmed and trying to do that independently.

340
00:29:13,040 --> 00:29:21,750
Knowing that the full anatomical maturity of executive function isn't complete until the age of 20 or 21 or so.

341
00:29:21,959 --> 00:29:29,050
The parent realizes that part of their role is to help the child learn strategies for approaching tasks

342
00:29:29,060 --> 00:29:37,170
requiring executive function ... and to assist in areas where the child is still really developing that ability.

343
00:29:38,719 --> 00:29:39,479
Additionally,

344
00:29:39,489 --> 00:29:42,089
as we noted in the previous episode,

345
00:29:42,170 --> 00:29:47,069
everyone will have individual strengths and struggles in executive function.

346
00:29:47,880 --> 00:29:52,810
If this is a child who grows up and continues to have a weakness

347
00:29:52,819 --> 00:29:56,369
organizing a sequence to complete a task,

348
00:29:56,410 --> 00:30:02,300
they can really benefit from a strategy approach to give their brain some assistance.

349
00:30:02,780 --> 00:30:04,729
So their strategy might be...

350
00:30:04,739 --> 00:30:09,880
What if I think about this task as seven smaller tasks?

351
00:30:09,890 --> 00:30:10,979
What would those be?

352
00:30:12,170 --> 00:30:24,239
I would invite you to notice tasks in your everyday life that are easy or difficult for you and consider if they have executive function components like speed,

353
00:30:24,349 --> 00:30:26,500
working memory, or sequencing.

354
00:30:27,219 --> 00:30:29,000
Notice what's easy for you,

355
00:30:29,010 --> 00:30:31,890
what's difficult for you in these situations.

356
00:30:32,449 --> 00:30:40,930
This increased self-awareness can be a first step toward getting the best outcome in a variety of situations.

357
00:30:41,349 --> 00:30:48,170
You may realize "my nervous system default is to process information slowly.

358
00:30:48,719 --> 00:30:54,170
But this new job that I have requires speed in these areas.

359
00:30:54,380 --> 00:30:56,650
And how can I get a better outcome?"

360
00:30:57,750 --> 00:30:58,130
Well,

361
00:30:58,140 --> 00:31:03,170
the basic neurology of speed that your nervous system is set toward,

362
00:31:03,410 --> 00:31:03,890
you know,

363
00:31:03,900 --> 00:31:06,890
you may not be able to adjust that piece.

364
00:31:06,959 --> 00:31:16,819
But perhaps you could focus on strategies to reduce anything that would take away from the speed you're capable of neurologically.

365
00:31:17,160 --> 00:31:20,589
So perhaps you want to reduce distractions,

366
00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:32,089
maybe ask someone for input about what the most important thing to focus on is and really make sure that you're accountable to someone who can see the big picture a little better.

367
00:31:33,599 --> 00:31:36,140
As I noted in the previous episode,

368
00:31:36,189 --> 00:31:43,150
I like the book series Smart but Scattered when it comes to strategies for executive function,

369
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,949
but you can choose whatever resources best fit your needs.

370
00:31:48,119 --> 00:31:52,010
And if you want to dive into more about executive function,

371
00:31:52,170 --> 00:31:58,609
learn about more strategies for success in areas that are causing you difficulty... by all means,

372
00:31:58,619 --> 00:32:01,969
reach out and find things that work well for you.

373
00:32:04,079 --> 00:32:08,390
I wanna thank you for joining me to learn about the executive function

374
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:12,560
sub features of speed, sequencing, and working memory.

375
00:32:12,849 --> 00:32:21,650
And I hope it increases your understanding of what makes you tick. We'll be continuing our series on executive function next time.

376
00:32:21,660 --> 00:32:24,810
So I invite you to join me for that third episode.

Episode 5115: Unregulated Immigration Strips A Country Of Identity

Bannon`s War Room

Texas 9 Shock and the Red-Green Threat

The AI-powered Podcast Player