Emergence of the Link Between the Approximate Number System and Symbolic Math Ability

Bibliographic Data

ID21301501
AuthorsJessie J Wang (0000-0001-8350-7656, Johns Hopkins University, corresponding author), Justin Halberda (0000-0002-5619-3249, Johns Hopkins University), Lisa Feigenson (0000-0002-9015-7065, Johns Hopkins University)
Year2021
Volume92
Issue2
Pagese186-e200
Publication date2021-03-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueChild Development (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0009-3920 • E-ISSN: 1467-8624
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1111/cdev.13454
PMID32816346
OpenAlexW3079770801
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited59

Experimentally manipulating Approximate Number System (ANS) precision has been found to influence children’s subsequent symbolic math performance. Here in three experiments (N = 160; 81 girls; 3–5 year old) we replicated this effect and examined its duration and developmental trajectory. We found that modulation of 5-year-olds’ ANS precision continued to affect their symbolic math performance after a 30-min delay. Furthermore, our cross-sectional investigation revealed that children 4.5 years and older experienced a significant transfer effect of ANS manipulation on math performance, whereas younger children showed no such transfer, despite experiencing significant changes in ANS precision. These findings support the existence of a causal link between nonverbal numerical approximation and symbolic math performance that first emerges during the preschool years

Affect (linguistics) · Developmental psychology · Nonverbal communication · Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills · Communication · Education Methods and Practices · Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques · Psychology

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