Abstract: Cognitive control functions as a dynamic regulatory mechanism that enables individuals to achieve goal-directed behaviors. Although traditional research has largely emphasized comparisons between discrete control states, real-world control-driven behaviors are inherently sequential, requiring the preservation of goal consistency and the capacity for flexible updating across multiple steps. Here, we systematically review behavioral, computational, and neural investigations of cognitive control from a sequential perspective, and highlight a notable convergence between studies of cognitive control and serial memory. We propose that the sequential nature of cognitive control is a critical interdisciplinary frontier. Future directions should focus on integrating theories of cognitive control with sequence representation, developing novel experimental paradigms, and examining the practical implications of this framework.

Key words: Keywords: Cognitive control, Sequential processing, Representation, Abstract task, Memory