Statistical Learning and Mathematics Ability: The Case of Arithmetic Principles
Authors:
Katie Cho, Elida Laski, and Marina Vasilyeva
PRESENTED AT:
2023 SRCD Biennial Meeting
San Jose, CA
Project description
The central goal of the project was to examine the association between statistical learning and first graders’ arithmetic principle knowledge. Akin to previous studies of arithmetic principle knowledge (e.g., Baroody et al., 1983; Canobi, 2009), children were shown pairs of three term equations where the first equation in each pair had the answer displayed and was either related via a principle (i.e., commutativity or inversion) or not to the second equation. Children who were able to notice the regularity between the principle pairs (e.g., same addends but in different order) would have an advantage, in that they could rely on the answer of the first equation to solve the second (e.g., if 7 + 2 + 4 = 13 then 2 + 7 + 4 = 13). We reasoned that if children responded more accurately and/or quickly on related than on unrelated pairs it could be inferred that they noticed and used the regularity between the pairs to arrive at their response. A second goal was to examine whether level of experience with arithmetic influences the association between statistical learning capacity and recognition of arithmetic principles. We included an arithmetic operation with which first graders were likely to have had greater experience (i.e., addition) as well as an operation for which they were likely still in the learning phase (i.e., subtraction). In addition, for each operation, we included problems with smaller terms (i.e., within five) as well as those with larger terms (i.e., greater than five). We hypothesized that statistical learning is more involved in arithmetic principle acquisition in the initial learning phase before children possess procedural strategies or automatic fact retrieval. The final goal was to examine the potential joint effects of statistical learning and executive control on arithmetic principle recognition. To determine if the processes are distinct among first graders, we tested whether individual differences in executive control and statistical learning were related. We also tested the extent to which individual differences in statistical learning predicted children’s notice and use of arithmetic principles above and beyond their inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility.
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