Scanning texts and orthographic proofreading as a measure for cognitve control?

A perspectve on cognitve control in cognitve writng models

Abstract

Many cognitve models of the (academic) writng process integrate components of cognitve control, a concept which has mainly been scrutnized through psychological laboratory experiments. The queston arises whether results obtained from such experiments are validly transferable to such models (i.e. if they are ecologically valid). In this perspectve paper, I highlight similarites and diferences between 1. tasks used to measure components of cognitve control (Stroop Word Colour (Switching) Task) and 2. actvites that form part of the (academic) writng process (proofreading for orthographic errors and scanning a text for a keyword). Drawing from this comparison, I subsequently argue 1. for the ecological validity of the Stroop Word Colour (Switching) Task with respect to these actvites and 2. encourage a stronger consideraton of the ecological validity of experiments measuring components of cognitve control to beter understand their relatonship with actvites relevant for the (academic) writng process. A beter understanding of this relatonship could further lead to the development of strategies to overcome difcultes in (academic) writng related to cognitve control.