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Table 1 Examples of co-constructed definitions for codebook

From: Operationalization of self-regulation in the early years: comparing policy with theoretical underpinnings

 

Construct

Author one’s definition

Author two’s definition

Common elements

Mutually constructed definition

Cognitive regulation

Attention

The ability to maintain focus on a specific stimulus while ignoring extraneous stimuli

Paying attention, maintaining concentration, attending to relevant information/instructions, shifting attention

Maintaining focus/concentration on relevant information

The ability to pay attention, maintain, concentrate, and attend to relevant information

Inhibitory control

The ability to stop a response

Inhibiting impulsive responses to achieve a goal

Stopping responses

“Inhibitory control is the ability to inhibit responses to irrelevant stimuli while pursuing a cognitively represented goal

(Rothbart & Posner, 1985)

Working memory

The ability to manipulate information while holding it

Keeping track of multiple rules or pieces of information while carrying out a task

Holding information

The ability to keep track of information while carrying out a task

Cognitive flexibility

The ability to move between cognitive processes with ease

Being able to consider different strategies to accomplish a task or solve a problem-shifting “mental states”

Moving between

The ability to consider different strategies to accomplish a task or solve a problem