Hostname: page-component-cb9f654ff-fg9bn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-08-23T06:56:37.436Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Relational complexity, the central executive, and prefrontal cortex

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 December 1998

James A. Waltz ,
Barbara J. Knowlton  and
Keith J. Holyoak
James A. Waltz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 waltz@psych.ucla.edu knowlton@lifesci.ucla.edu holyoak@lifesci.ucla.edu
Barbara J. Knowlton
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 waltz@psych.ucla.edu knowlton@lifesci.ucla.edu holyoak@lifesci.ucla.edu
Keith J. Holyoak
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563 waltz@psych.ucla.edu knowlton@lifesci.ucla.edu holyoak@lifesci.ucla.edu
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Halford et al.'s analysis of relational complexity provides a possible framework for characterizing the symbolic functions of the prefrontal cortex. Studies of prefrontal patients have revealed that their performance is selectively impaired on tasks that require integration of two binary relations (i.e., tasks that Halford et al.'s analysis would identify as three-dimensional). Analyses of relational complexity show promise of helping to understand the neural substrate of thinking.

Information

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 21 , Issue 6 , December 1998 , pp. 846 - 847
Copyright
© 1998 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable