The relationship between working memory, IQ, and mathematical skills in children

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the contribution of working memory and verbal ability (measured by vocabulary) to mathematical skills in children. A sample of 206 seven- and eight-year-olds was administered tests of these cognitive skills. A different pattern emerged that was dependent on both the memory task and the math skill. In the seven-year olds, visuo-spatial and verbal memory uniquely predicted performance on the math tests; however, in the eight-year olds, only visuo-spatial short-term memory predicted math scores. Even when differences in vocabulary were statistically accounted, memory skills uniquely predicted mathematical skills and arithmetical abilities. This pattern of findings provides a useful starting point that can add to existing research on the contributions of working memory and vocabulary to different mathematical skills.

Research Highlights

► There is an age-related difference in mathematical skills which was dependent on both the memory task and the math skill. ► In the seven-year olds, visuo-spatial and verbal memory uniquely predicted performance on the math tests ► In the eight-year olds, only visuo-spatial short-term memory predicted math scores. ► Even when differences in vocabulary were statistically accounted, memory skills uniquely predicted mathematical skills and arithmetical abilities.

Section snippets

Participants

There were 206 typically developing children (109 boys) recruited from four mainstream schools located in the north-west of Italy. The majority of parents came from professional homes that were predominantly middle class but included families from across the social spectrum. For the statistical analyses, participants were divided into two age groups: 7-year-olds (n = 100; M = 88 months, SD = 3.5 months; 50 boys) and 8-year-olds (n = 106; M = 103 months, SD = 3.6 months; 46 boys). None was receiving special

Results

Descriptive statistics for the cognitive measures as a function of age-group are shown in Table 2. The following patterns emerged: the 7-year-olds scored lower than the 8-year-olds in all measures. In order to compare the working memory profile between age-groups, a MANOVCA was performed on the four memory composite scores, with age (in months) as a co-variate. The overall group term associated with Hotelling's T-test was not significant (F > 1, η2p = .02), suggesting that the memory profile did

Discussion

The aim of the present study was to investigate the contributions of working memory and vocabulary to mathematical skills in children. The comparisons of the younger (7 years) and older (8 years) children showed slightly different patterns in the contribution of memory to mathematical skills and arithmetical abilities. Verbal memory predicted Number Ranking and Arithmetic skills in 7-year-olds, while visuo-spatial short-term memory predicted these same skills in 8-year olds. The latter also

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