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Portrait of a Learner 4-8

Systems Change

Inhibition

Factor Connections

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Main Ideas

Inhibition develops through childhood and adolescence with maturational brain development, along with development of metacognition and other executive functions. Inhibition can occur at the behavioral level, where responses are controlled, or the cognitive level, where Attention is focused on relevant information. However, it can be difficult to tease these apart since cognitive Inhibition promotes behavioral Inhibition. In addition, it is often suggested that inhibitory control should be further broken down when thinking about how and what is being inhibited, and that these may develop differently. For instance:

  • inhibitory strength, the ability to overcome a strong instinctive tendency, often associated with cognitive inhibition (e.g. reasoning), and
  • inhibitory endurance, the ability to actively inhibit a desirable action for a long period of time, often associated with behavioral inhibition (e.g., self-control).

While inhibitory strength is typically fully developed by around age five, research suggests that learners's inhibitory endurance develops along with maturation of the brain and changes in strategy use over time. This protracted development can explain why younger children may have difficulty inhibiting an unwanted response over an extended period of time. This difficulty can result in frustration or feeling overwhelmed when working towards longer term goals. Educators can support inhibitory endurance through games that practice these skills, and discussing and modeling these skills.

Inhibition, like all executive functions, is susceptible to environmental influences including excessive screen time or stressors such as Adverse Experiences, which can interfere with development and processing, and may cause academic and behavioral difficulties if not supported. Some students, including those with ADHD or learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dyscalculia, may show differences in using inhibitory control to support their focus and learning due to differences in brain structure and patterns of development.

Learn More

  • Executive Function: A microcredential to support students' executive functioning skills
  • Inhibition: A microcredential to identify and support students' inhibition

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