1
|
Bakker M, Torbeyns J, Verschaffel L, De Smedt B. Cognitive characteristics of children with high mathematics achievement before they start formal schooling. Child Dev 2024. [PMID: 39073393 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
This 5-year longitudinal study examined whether high mathematics achievers in primary school had cognitive advantages before entering formal education. High mathematics achievement was defined as performing above Pc 90 in Grades 1 and 3. The predominantly White sample (Mage in preschool: 64 months) included 31 high achievers (12 girls) and 114 average achievers (63 girls). We measured children's early numerical abilities, complex mathematical abilities, and general cognitive abilities in preschool (2017). High mathematics achievers had advantages on most tasks in preschool (ds > 0.62). Number order, numeral recognition, and proportional reasoning were unique predictors of belonging to the high-achieving group in primary school. This study shows that the cognitive advantages of high mathematics achievement are already observed in preschool.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Merel Bakker
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Parenting and Special Education, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joke Torbeyns
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Verschaffel
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert De Smedt
- Parenting and Special Education, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Vandecruys F, Vandermosten M, De Smedt B. The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus correlates with early precursors of mathematics and reading before the start of formal schooling. Cortex 2024; 174:149-163. [PMID: 38547813 DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2024.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
Diffusion-weighted imaging studies in preschoolers have almost exclusively been done in the field of reading. As a result, virtually nothing is known about white matter tracts associated with individual differences in mathematics at this age. Studying the preschoolers' brain is crucial because it allows us to identify individual differences in brain anatomy without influences of formal mathematics and reading instruction. To fill this gap, we investigated for the first time before the start of formal school entry the associations between white matter tracts and precursors of mathematics and reading simultaneously. We also investigated whether these associations were specific to mathematics and to reading, or not. We focused on four bilateral white matter tracts (arcuate fasciculus (direct, anterior), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus), which have been previously correlated with mathematical performance in older children and with reading performance in children of a similar age as the current study. Participants were 56 5-year-old children (Mage = 67 months; SD = 1.8), none of which received formal instruction. Our results showed an association between the bilateral inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus and precursors of mathematics (numerical ordering, numeral knowledge) and reading (phonological awareness, letter knowledge). Follow-up regression analyses revealed that the associations found with the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus were neither specific to mathematics nor specific to reading. These findings suggest that, already before the start of formal schooling, the inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus might be related to the neural overlap between mathematics and reading. This overlap potentially reflects one of their many shared mechanisms, such as the reliance on phonological codes or the processing of visual symbols, and these mechanisms should be exploited in future studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Floor Vandecruys
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Maaike Vandermosten
- Experimental ORL, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bert De Smedt
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Belgium; Leuven Brain Institute, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Turan E, De Smedt B. Understanding mathematical development in preschool children: The association between mathematical language and mathematical abilities. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
|
4
|
Vos H, Marinova M, De Léon SC, Sasanguie D, Reynvoet B. Gender differences in young adults' mathematical performance: Examining the contribution of working memory, math anxiety and gender-related stereotypes. LEARNING AND INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lindif.2022.102255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
|
5
|
Rajagopal AA, Vandecruys F, De Smedt B. The effects of preschool and age on children’s early number skills. COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
|
6
|
Girelli L. What does gender has to do with math? Complex questions require complex answers. J Neurosci Res 2022; 101:679-688. [PMID: 35443070 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.25056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Whether mathematics is a gendered domain or not is a long-lasting issue bringing along major social and educational implications. The females' underrepresentation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) has been considered one of the key signs of the math gender gap, although the current view largely attributes the origin of this phenomenon to sociocultural factors. Indeed, recent approaches to math gender differences reached the universal conclusion that nature and nurture exert reciprocal effects on each other, establishing the need for approaching the study of the math gender issue only once its intrinsic complexity has been accepted. Building upon a flourishing literature, this review provides an updated synthesis of the evidence for math gender equality at the start, and for math gender inequality on the go, challenging the role of biological factors. In particular, by combining recent findings from different research areas, the paper discusses the persistence of the "math male myth" and the associated "female are not good at math myth," drawing attention to the complex interplay of social and cultural forces that support such stereotypes. The suggestion is made that longevity of these myths results from the additive effects of two independent cognitive biases associated with gender stereotypes and with math stereotypes, respectively. Scholars' responsibility in amplifying these myths by pursuing some catching lines of research is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Girelli
- Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy.,NeuroMI, Milan Center for Neuroscience, Milano, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Spatial and mathematics skills: Similarities and differences related to age, SES, and gender. Cognition 2021; 218:104918. [PMID: 34627067 DOI: 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Performance on a range of spatial and mathematics tasks was measured in a sample of 1592 students in kindergarten, third grade, and sixth grade. In a previously published analysis of these data, performance was analyzed by grade only. In the present analyses, we examined whether the relations between spatial skill and mathematics skill differed across socio-economic levels, for boys versus girls, or both. Our first aim was to test for group differences in spatial skill and mathematics skill. We found that children from higher income families showed significantly better performance on both spatial and mathematics measures, and boys outperformed girls on spatial measures in all three grades, but only outperformed girls on mathematics measures in kindergarten. Further, comparisons using factor analysis indicated that the income-related gap in mathematics performance increased across the grade levels, while the income-related gap in spatial performance remained constant. Our second aim was to test whether spatial skill mediated any of these effects, and we found that it did, either partially or fully, in all four cases. Our third aim was to test whether the "separate but correlated" two-factor latent structure previously reported for spatial skill and mathematics skill was (Mix et al., 2016; Mix et al., 2017) replicated across grade, SES, and sex. Multi-group confirmatory factor analyses conducted for each of these subgroups indicated that the same latent structure was present, despite differences in overall performance. These findings replicate and extend prior work on SES and sex differences related to spatial and mathematics skill, but provide evidence that the relations between the domains are stable and consistent across subgroups.
Collapse
|
8
|
Gunderson EA, Hildebrand L. Relations among spatial skills, number line estimation, and exact and approximate calculation in young children. J Exp Child Psychol 2021; 212:105251. [PMID: 34333360 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Decades of research have established that spatial skills correlate with numerical skills. However, because both spatial and numerical skills are multidimensional, we sought to determine how specific spatial skills relate to specific numeracy skills. We used a cohort-sequential design, assessing a large diverse sample of students (N = 612, initially in pre-kindergarten [pre-K]-3rd grade, 4-9 years of age) at four time points spanning 2 years. We examined how initial levels of five spatial skills (visuospatial working memory [VSWM], mental transformation, mental rotation, proportional reasoning, and analog magnitude system [AMS] acuity) related to initial levels and growth rates in exact and approximate calculation skills, and we further investigated number line estimation as a potential mediator. We found unique patterns of relations between spatial skills and numeracy. Initial levels of mental rotation, proportional reasoning, and AMS acuity related to initial levels of exact calculation skill; initial levels of AMS acuity related to initial levels of approximate calculation; and initial levels of proportional reasoning related to initial levels of number line estimation. VSWM and mental transformation did not relate to numeracy skills after controlling for other spatial skills. Initial levels of number line estimation related to both exact and approximate calculation after controlling for spatial skills. Notably, neither spatial skills nor number line estimation predicted growth in exact or approximate calculation skills. These results indicate that there is specificity in the time-invariant relations between spatial skills and numeracy, and they suggest that researchers and educators should treat spatial skills and numeracy as multidimensional constructs with complex and unique interrelations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Lindsey Hildebrand
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Hornburg CB, Borriello GA, Kung M, Lin J, Litkowski E, Cosso J, Ellis A, King Y, Zippert E, Cabrera NJ, Davis-Kean P, Eason SH, Hart SA, Iruka IU, LeFevre JA, Simms V, Susperreguy MI, Cahoon A, Chan WWL, Cheung SK, Coppola M, De Smedt B, Elliott L, Estévez-Pérez N, Gallagher-Mitchell T, Gardner-Neblett N, Gilmore C, Leyva D, Maloney EA, Manolitsis G, Melzi G, Mutaf-Yıldız B, Nelson G, Niklas F, Pan Y, Ramani GB, Skwarchuk SL, Sonnenschein S, Purpura DJ. Next Directions in Measurement of the Home Mathematics Environment: An International and Interdisciplinary Perspective. JOURNAL OF NUMERICAL COGNITION 2021; 7:195-220. [PMID: 34778511 PMCID: PMC8589301 DOI: 10.5964/jnc.6143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
This article synthesizes findings from an international virtual conference, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), focused on the home mathematics environment (HME). In light of inconsistencies and gaps in research investigating relations between the HME and children's outcomes, the purpose of the conference was to discuss actionable steps and considerations for future work. The conference was composed of international researchers with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds. Presentations and discussions during the conference centered broadly on the need to better operationalize and measure the HME as a construct - focusing on issues related to child, family, and community factors, country and cultural factors, and the cognitive and affective characteristics of caregivers and children. Results of the conference and a subsequent writing workshop include a synthesis of core questions and key considerations for the field of research on the HME. Findings highlight the need for the field at large to use multi-method measurement approaches to capture nuances in the HME, and to do so with increased international and interdisciplinary collaboration, open science practices, and communication among scholars.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Joyce Lin
- California State University, Fullerton
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Sekeris E, Verschaffel L, Luwel K. Exact arithmetic, computational estimation and approximate arithmetic are different skills: Evidence from a study with 5‐year‐olds. INFANT AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/icd.2248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elke Sekeris
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Lieven Verschaffel
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Koen Luwel
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology KU Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Centre for Educational Research and Development KU Leuven – Campus Brussels Leuven Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Which skills predict computational estimation? A longitudinal study in 5- to 7-year-olds. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY OF EDUCATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10212-021-00553-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
12
|
Wijns N, Verschaffel L, De Smedt B, Torbeyns J. Associations Between Repeating Patterning, Growing Patterning, and Numerical Ability: A Longitudinal Panel Study in 4- to 6-Year Olds. Child Dev 2021; 92:1354-1368. [PMID: 33398877 DOI: 10.1111/cdev.13490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to analyze the direction of the associations between repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability. Participants were 410 children who were annually assessed on their repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability, at ages 4, 5, and 6 years (i.e., spring 2017, 2018, and 2019). A cross-lagged panel model identified bidirectional associations between all three abilities from ages 4 to 5 years while taking into account spatial skills. From ages 5 to 6 years, both patterning abilities predicted later numerical ability, but the reverse was no longer true. Associations between performances on both pattern types also disappeared. Results highlight the unique associations between repeating patterning, growing patterning, and numerical ability, above spatial skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nore Wijns
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
De Keyser L, Bakker M, Rathé S, Wijns N, Torbeyns J, Verschaffel L, De Smedt B. No Association Between the Home Math Environment and Numerical and Patterning Skills in a Large and Diverse Sample of 5- to 6-year-olds. Front Psychol 2020; 11:547626. [PMID: 33362620 PMCID: PMC7758193 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.547626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Selecting a large and diverse sample of 5–6-year-old preschool children (179 boys and 174 girls; Mage = 70.03 months, SDage = 3.43), we aimed to extend previous findings on variability in children’s home math environment (i.e., home math activities, parental expectations, and attitudes) and its association with children’s mathematical skills. We operationalized mathematics in a broader way than in previous studies, by considering not only children’s numerical skills but also their patterning skills as integral components of early mathematical development. We investigated the effects of children’s gender and socioeconomic status (SES) on their home math environment, examined the associations between children’s home math environment and their mathematical skills, and verified whether these associations were moderated by children’s gender and/or SES. Parents of 353 children completed a home math environment questionnaire and all children completed measures of their numerical (e.g., object counting) and patterning skills (e.g., extending repeating patterns). Results indicated no effect of children’s gender on their home math environment. There was no effect of SES on the performed home math activities, but small SES differences existed in parents’ math-related expectations and their attitudes. We found no evidence for associations between children’s home math environment and their mathematical skills. Furthermore, there were no moderating effects of gender or SES on these associations. One explanation for these findings might relate to the characteristics of the general preschool system in the country of the present study (Belgium). Future studies should consider the effect of the preschool learning environment because it might explain differences between studies and countries with regard to the home math environment and its association with mathematical skills.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laure De Keyser
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Merel Bakker
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sanne Rathé
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Nore Wijns
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joke Torbeyns
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieven Verschaffel
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bert De Smedt
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lê MLT, Noël MP. Transparent number-naming system gives only limited advantage for preschooler's numerical development: Comparisons of Vietnamese and French-speaking children. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243472. [PMID: 33284824 PMCID: PMC7721146 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Several cross-sectional studies have suggested that the transparency of the number-naming system of East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese) facilitates children's numerical development. The Vietnamese number-naming system also makes the base-10 system very explicit (eleven is "mười một," literally "ten-one," and thirty is "ba mươi," literally "three-ten"). In contrast, Western languages (English, French) include teen words (eleven to sixteen) and ten words (twenty to ninety) that make their counting systems less transparent. The main question addressed in this paper is: To what extent does a language's number-naming system impact preschoolers' numerical development? Our study participants comprised 104 Vietnamese and 104 French-speaking Belgian children between 3½ and 5½ years of age, as well as their parents. We tested the children on eight numerical tasks (counting, advanced counting, enumeration, Give-N, number-word comparison, collection comparison, addition, and approximate addition) and some general cognitive abilities (IQ and phonological loop by letter span). The parents completed a questionnaire on the frequency with which they stimulated their child's numeracy and literacy at home. The results indicated that Vietnamese children outperformed Belgian children only in counting. However, neither group differed in other symbolic or non-symbolic abilities, although Vietnamese parents tended to stimulate their child at home slightly more than Belgian parents. We concluded that the Vietnamese number-naming system's transparency led to faster acquisition of basic counting for preschoolers but did not support other more advanced numerical skills or non-symbolic numerical abilities. In addition, we extended the evidence that both transparent number-naming system and home numeracy influence young children's counting development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mai-Liên T. Lê
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- Faculty of Psychology, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, National University of Vietnam in Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Marie-Pascale Noël
- Psychological Sciences Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mothers’ distancing language relates to young children’s math and literacy skills. J Exp Child Psychol 2020; 196:104863. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
16
|
Assessing Gender Gaps in Educational Provision, Research and Employment Opportunities in the Transport Sector at the European Level. EDUCATION SCIENCES 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/educsci10050123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Serious gaps are found when evaluating the recognition and inclusion of gender aspects in transport strategies, research and innovation. Similar issues can be spotted in the transport labor market, where only 22% of workers are women at the European level. The roots of these limitations are in the low participation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) studies and, therefore, in the traditionally male-dominated transport field occupations. Stemming from the European project TInnGO, the current paper proposes a descriptive analysis to evaluate the gender gaps in educational provision and research in ten European countries. Specific indicators, such as percentages in the gender composition or the presence of university courses dealing with mobility and transport, have been defined and their availability in different countries is verified. In addition, a desktop review of practices for encouraging and supporting women in STEM studies is operated, underling characteristics such as the kind of initiative, the methods and tools used, the target group or the type of promoter. The results of this activity show that a wide network of associations and mentoring operates in various European nations, mostly targeting secondary school students, trying to make females aware of their potentialities in a deeply gender-biased field like the STEM one.
Collapse
|
17
|
Zhang T, Chen C, Chen C, Wei W. Gender differences in the development of semantic and spatial processing of numbers. BRITISH JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 38:391-414. [PMID: 32212402 DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
This study recruited kindergarteners and first graders to investigate gender and grade differences in semantic and spatial processing of number magnitude. Results based on the Bayesian statistics showed that (1) there was extreme evidence in favour of grade differences in both semantic processing and spatial processing; (2) there were no gender differences in semantic processing; and (3) boys developed earlier than girls in spatial processing of numbers, especially for the more difficult task. These results are discussed in terms of gender differences in cognitive mechanisms underlying semantic and spatial processing of number magnitude.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingyan Zhang
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
| | - Chuansheng Chen
- Department of Psychology and Social Behavior, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
| | - Wei Wei
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hang Zhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Schild U, Bauch A, Nuerk HC. A Finger-Based Numerical Training Failed to Improve Arithmetic Skills in Kindergarten Children Beyond Effects of an Active Non-numerical Control Training. Front Psychol 2020; 11:529. [PMID: 32265812 PMCID: PMC7105809 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It is widely accepted that finger and number representations are associated: many correlations (including longitudinal ones) between finger gnosis/counting and numerical/arithmetical abilities have been reported. However, such correlations do not necessarily imply causal influence of early finger-number training; even in longitudinal designs, mediating variables may be underlying such correlations. Therefore, we investigated whether there may be a causal relation by means of an extensive experimental intervention in which the impact of finger-number training on initial arithmetic skills was tested in kindergarteners to see whether they benefit from the intervention even before they start formal schooling. The experimental group received 50 training sessions altogether for 10 weeks on a daily basis. A control group received phonology training of a similar duration and intensity. All children improved in the arithmetic tasks. To our surprise and contrary to most accounts in the literature, the improvement shown by the experimental training group was not superior to that of the active control group. We discuss conceptual and methodological reasons why the finger-number training employed in this study did not increase the initial arithmetic skills beyond the unspecific effects of the control intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Schild
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anne Bauch
- Department of Psychology, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wijns N, De Smedt B, Verschaffel L, Torbeyns J. Are preschoolers who spontaneously create patterns better in mathematics? BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019; 90:753-769. [DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nore Wijns
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology KU Leuven Belgium
| | - Bert De Smedt
- Parenting and Special Education Research Unit KU Leuven Belgium
| | | | - Joke Torbeyns
- Centre for Instructional Psychology and Technology KU Leuven Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Ghazy N, Ratner E, Rosenberg-Lee M. Differential Contributions of Empathy to Math Achievement in Women and Men. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1941. [PMID: 31572249 PMCID: PMC6751398 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Mathematics forms a foundation for the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. While considerable work has identified the individual cognitive and external systemic factors that influence math achievement, less is known about personality-like traits that might contribute to success in mathematics, especially among women. This study examines two such traits: systemizing – the tendency to analyze systems and extract underlying rules that govern their behavior – and empathizing – the ability to identify with another’s emotions and respond appropriately. Recently Escovar et al. (2016) found that empathizing was a negative predictor of math skills in children, especially among girls, suggesting that women with higher empathy might be particularly disposed to lower math performance. In the first study, 142 participants (71 female) completed two standardized measures of math achievement and questionnaires to gauge the tendency to empathize and systemize. Surprisingly, higher empathy was associated with better math performance in women, while men displayed the expected pattern of lower empathy being related to higher math scores. In a second study, we extend this finding in women (n = 121) to show that individuals who report higher mathematics achievement in university level course work also have higher empathy scores. Further, while positive attitudes toward mathematics tended to decline from elementary school to college, women whose attitudes increased had higher empathy scores than those who declined. Together, these results suggest that while the tendency to empathize is associated with worse math performance in childhood, it may become a protective factor as women progress through their mathematics education.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nermine Ghazy
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | - Eleanor Ratner
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, United States
| | | |
Collapse
|
21
|
Pitchford NJ, Chigeda A, Hubber PJ. Interactive apps prevent gender discrepancies in early-grade mathematics in a low-income country in sub-Sahara Africa. Dev Sci 2019; 22:e12864. [PMID: 31120168 PMCID: PMC6771718 DOI: 10.1111/desc.12864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Globally, gender differences are reported in the early acquisition of reading and mathematics as girls tend to outperform boys in reading, whereas boys tend to outperform girls in mathematics. This can have long‐term impact resulting in an under‐representation of girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects. Recent research suggests that sociocultural factors account for differences across genders in the acquisition of these foundational skills. In this study, we investigated whether a new technology‐based intervention, that included activities accessible to both boys and girls, can reduce gender differences from emerging during the early primary school years. The novel instructional method used in this study employed apps developed by onebillion© delivered individually through touch‐screen tablets. Over a series of experiments conducted in Malawi, a low‐income country in sub‐Sahara Africa, we found that when children were exposed to standard pedagogical practice typical gender differences emerged over the first grade (Experiment 1). In contrast, boys and girls learnt equally well with the new interactive apps designed to support the learning of mathematics (Experiment 2) and reading (Experiment 3). When implemented at the start of primary education, before significant gender discrepancies become established, this novel technology‐based intervention can prevent significant gender effects for mathematics. These results demonstrate that different instructional practices influence the emergence of gender disparities in early mathematics. Digital interventions can mitigate gender differences in countries where standard pedagogical instruction typically hinders girls from acquiring early mathematical skills at the same rate as boys. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55x-6hhAY9M&feature=youtu.be
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Paula J Hubber
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| |
Collapse
|