Investigating the relationship between neuropsychological components of memory, visual-spatial activity and response inhibition with false-belief function in children aged 7 to 12 years

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between executive responses of response inhibition and active memory with the level of belief-false development of elementary students.

The method of this study is correlation. The statistical population in this study includes all ordinary primary school students in Birjand who were studying in schools of Birjand in the 97-96 academic year. The research sample consisted of 180 people. Which were randomly selected by clustering based on age, gender and educational background. Data measurement tools in this study included the 38-question form of mind theory (Sterman et al., 1994); the Stroop complex task (Stroop, 1935) and the working memory test (Wechsler, 2003). Data were analyzed by correlation method for research hypotheses and linear regression for research question. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive power of mind theory through independent research variables and to explain the variance of mind theory.

The findings showed that there is a positive and significant relationship between the executive actions of response inhibition and active memory with the level of development of theory of mind (p≥0.01). Also, response inhibition and active memory have the ability to predict the level of development of mind theory. The results showed that among the executive actions, the working memory variable has a greater share in predicting the capabilities of mind theory.

In general, executive actions, especially active memory and response inhibition, play a decisive role in predicting and evolving human mental abilities, including the theoretical abilities of the mind. Therefore, paying attention to the capacity and efficiency of learners' working memory has a positive effect on the efficiency of the teaching process and the design of educational materials, the ultimate goal of all of which is to create, expand or facilitate cognitive functions.