Utility of component-process approaches for understanding complex alcohol-related behavior within an executive functioning framework: Comment on Giancola (2000)

P. R. Giancola's (2000) macroconstruct framework of executive functions (EF) characterizes how cognitive processes work together to inhibit aggressive responding in provocative situations, and how alcohol intoxication increases the likelihood of aggression by disrupting these processes. His framework can be considered within contemporary controversies in cognitive neuroscience research: how interrelated EF operate, which brain areas are involved in cognitive control, the specificity of EF impairment to different behaviors, and how to operationalize EF to examine different questions. Giancola highlighted the use of one broad, multidimensional, EF construct for predicting aggressive behavior. His macroconstruct framework can also be used to examine component information-processing operations. Component-process approaches may facilitate integrative research at multiple levels and add to the specificity of EF impairment-aggression linkages.