This article reviews the nature and organization of individual differences in executive functions (EFs), a set of control processes that regulate thoughts and behaviors. The authors, Akira Miyake and Naomi P. Friedman, present four key conclusions based on their research: 1. **Unity and Diversity**: Individual differences in EFs show both unity and diversity. Different EFs are correlated but also separable, reflecting substantial genetic contributions and developmental stability. 2. **Substantial Genetic Contributions**: Individual differences in EFs are largely genetically influenced, with heritability estimates exceeding 0.75 at the level of latent variables. 3. **Clinical and Societal Relevance**: Purely cognitive measures of EFs can predict clinically and societally important behaviors, such as behavioral disinhibition and self-regulatory behaviors. 4. **Developmental Stability**: Individual differences in EFs exhibit some stability during development, as evidenced by longitudinal studies showing consistent correlations between early measures and later EF performance. The authors also discuss the development of a new theoretical framework, the unity/diversity framework, which decomposes EF abilities into common and unique components to better understand their cognitive and biological underpinnings. They highlight ongoing computational modeling efforts to link behavioral, cognitive, and genetic levels of explanation, aiming to identify specific genes that contribute to individual differences in EFs.This article reviews the nature and organization of individual differences in executive functions (EFs), a set of control processes that regulate thoughts and behaviors. The authors, Akira Miyake and Naomi P. Friedman, present four key conclusions based on their research: 1. **Unity and Diversity**: Individual differences in EFs show both unity and diversity. Different EFs are correlated but also separable, reflecting substantial genetic contributions and developmental stability. 2. **Substantial Genetic Contributions**: Individual differences in EFs are largely genetically influenced, with heritability estimates exceeding 0.75 at the level of latent variables. 3. **Clinical and Societal Relevance**: Purely cognitive measures of EFs can predict clinically and societally important behaviors, such as behavioral disinhibition and self-regulatory behaviors. 4. **Developmental Stability**: Individual differences in EFs exhibit some stability during development, as evidenced by longitudinal studies showing consistent correlations between early measures and later EF performance. The authors also discuss the development of a new theoretical framework, the unity/diversity framework, which decomposes EF abilities into common and unique components to better understand their cognitive and biological underpinnings. They highlight ongoing computational modeling efforts to link behavioral, cognitive, and genetic levels of explanation, aiming to identify specific genes that contribute to individual differences in EFs.