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Executive Functioning as a Predictor of Children's Mathematics Ability: Inhibition, Switching, and Working Memory
Abstract
Children's mathematical skills were considered in relation to executive functions. Using multiple measures--including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (WCST), dual-task performance, Stroop task, and counting span-it was found that mathematical ability was significantly correlated with all measures of executive functioning, with the exception of dual-task performance. Furthermore, regression analyses revealed that each executive function measure predicted unique variance in mathematics ability. These results are discussed in terms of a central executive with diverse functions (Shallice & Burgess, 1996) and with recent evidence from Miyake, et al. (2000) showing the unity and diversity among executive functions. It is proposed that the particular difficulties for children of lower mathematical ability are lack of inhibition and poor working memory, which result in problems with switching and evaluation of new strategies for dealing with a particular task. The practical and theoretical implications of these results are discussed, along with suggestions for task changes and longitudinal studies that would clarify theoretical and developmental issues related to executive functioning.
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“An early demonstration of this relation was seen in a correlational study in which measures of working memory and the flexible shifting of attention were shown to independently predict early mathematics achievement over and above measures of reading ability and IQ”
From School Readiness and Self-Regulation: A Developmental Psychobiological Approach (2015) · cites this paper as Bull & Scerif 2001
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“Children Õ s abilities to store and manipulate information in short-term memory are closely associated with scholastic attainments over the school years.”
From A structural analysis of working memory and related cognitive skills in young children (2004) · cites this paper as Bull & Scerif, 2001
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“…a study examining mathematics ability in children in the first grade, at age 7 years, independent effects were reported for inhibitory control, attention shifting , and working memory aspects of executive function, with the most robust relation being that for working memory (Bull & Scerif, 2001).”
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Background
Metadata
- Authors
- Bull, R., & Scerif, G.
- Affiliations
- University of Aberdeen (GB)
- Venue
- Developmental Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2001-06
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 273-293
- ISSN
- 1532-6942 (ISSN-L)
- 8756-5641
- OpenAlex
- W2142887785
- Semantic Scholar
- 813c3c045849f82cac2db2f26cee0ca306349f28
- Cited by
- 1,501
- References
- 67
- Citations by year
- 2026: 32 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 46 · 2023: 84 · 2022: 82 · 2021: 64 · 2020: 78 · 2019: 96 · 2018: 112 · 2017: 101 · 2016: 81 · 2015: 76 · 2014: 103 · 2013: 97 · 2012: 80
- FWCI
- 13.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Nuffield Foundation
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Keywords
- executive function, mathematical ability, children, inhibition, cognitive flexibility, working memory, central executive, dual-task performance, Stroop task, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, strategy evaluation
- MeSH terms
- Child, Cognition, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Male, Mathematics, Memory
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