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Relationships between magnitude representation, counting and memory in 4- to 7-year-old children: a developmental study

Relationships between magnitude representation, counting and memory in 4- to 7-year-old children: a developmental study
Relationships between magnitude representation, counting and memory in 4- to 7-year-old children: a developmental study
Background

The development of an evolutionarily grounded analogue magnitude representation linked to the parietal lobes is frequently thought to be a major factor in the arithmetic development of humans. We investigated the relationship between counting and the development of magnitude representation in children, assessing also children's knowledge of number symbols, their arithmetic fact retrieval, their verbal skills, and their numerical and verbal short-term memory.

Methods

The magnitude representation was tested by a non-symbolic magnitude comparison task. We have perfected previous experimental designs measuring magnitude discrimination skills in 65 children kindergarten (4-7-year-olds) by controlling for several variables which were not controlled for in previous similar research. We also used a large number of trials which allowed for running a full factorial ANOVA including all relevant factors. Tests of verbal counting, of short term memory, of number knowledge, of problem solving abilities and of verbal fluency were administered and correlated with performance in the magnitude comparison task.

Results and discussion

Verbal counting knowledge and performance on simple arithmetic tests did not correlate with non-symbolic magnitude comparison at any age. Older children performed successfully on the number comparison task, showing behavioural patterns consistent with an analogue magnitude representation. In contrast, 4-year-olds were unable to discriminate number independently of task-irrelevant perceptual variables. Sensitivity to irrelevant perceptual features of the magnitude discrimination task was also affected by age, and correlated with memory, suggesting that more general cognitive abilities may play a role in performance in magnitude comparison tasks.

Conclusion

We conclude that young children are not able to discriminate numerical magnitudes when co-varying physical magnitudes are methodically pitted against number. We propose, along with others, that a rather domain general magnitude representation provides the later basis for a specialized representation of numerical magnitudes. For this representational specialization, the acquisition of the concept of abstract numbers, together with the development of other cognitive abilities, is indispensable.
1744-9081
1-14
Soltész, Fruzsina
cbc12e4b-9d6f-4c24-8203-47ae2bd8f470
Szűcs, Dénes
1020f888-a7ba-48b6-861a-42a7f6ff716c
Szűcs, Lívia
636ed78b-1791-4ca2-8c1f-ffac377a3fb8
Soltész, Fruzsina
cbc12e4b-9d6f-4c24-8203-47ae2bd8f470
Szűcs, Dénes
1020f888-a7ba-48b6-861a-42a7f6ff716c
Szűcs, Lívia
636ed78b-1791-4ca2-8c1f-ffac377a3fb8

Soltész, Fruzsina, Szűcs, Dénes and Szűcs, Lívia (2010) Relationships between magnitude representation, counting and memory in 4- to 7-year-old children: a developmental study. Behavioral and Brain Functions, 6 (13), 1-14. (doi:10.1186/1744-9081-6-13). (PMID:20167066)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Background

The development of an evolutionarily grounded analogue magnitude representation linked to the parietal lobes is frequently thought to be a major factor in the arithmetic development of humans. We investigated the relationship between counting and the development of magnitude representation in children, assessing also children's knowledge of number symbols, their arithmetic fact retrieval, their verbal skills, and their numerical and verbal short-term memory.

Methods

The magnitude representation was tested by a non-symbolic magnitude comparison task. We have perfected previous experimental designs measuring magnitude discrimination skills in 65 children kindergarten (4-7-year-olds) by controlling for several variables which were not controlled for in previous similar research. We also used a large number of trials which allowed for running a full factorial ANOVA including all relevant factors. Tests of verbal counting, of short term memory, of number knowledge, of problem solving abilities and of verbal fluency were administered and correlated with performance in the magnitude comparison task.

Results and discussion

Verbal counting knowledge and performance on simple arithmetic tests did not correlate with non-symbolic magnitude comparison at any age. Older children performed successfully on the number comparison task, showing behavioural patterns consistent with an analogue magnitude representation. In contrast, 4-year-olds were unable to discriminate number independently of task-irrelevant perceptual variables. Sensitivity to irrelevant perceptual features of the magnitude discrimination task was also affected by age, and correlated with memory, suggesting that more general cognitive abilities may play a role in performance in magnitude comparison tasks.

Conclusion

We conclude that young children are not able to discriminate numerical magnitudes when co-varying physical magnitudes are methodically pitted against number. We propose, along with others, that a rather domain general magnitude representation provides the later basis for a specialized representation of numerical magnitudes. For this representational specialization, the acquisition of the concept of abstract numbers, together with the development of other cognitive abilities, is indispensable.

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More information

Accepted/In Press date: 18 February 2010
Published date: 18 February 2010
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 375342
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/375342
ISSN: 1744-9081
PURE UUID: 3e37ce49-f0a8-41f0-b9df-c8576a1984c4

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Date deposited: 31 Mar 2015 15:57
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 19:24

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Contributors

Author: Fruzsina Soltész
Author: Dénes Szűcs
Author: Lívia Szűcs

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