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Ma M, Likhanov M, Zhou X. Number sense-arithmetic link in Grade 1 and Grade 2: A case of fluency. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38802998 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent research suggested fluent processing as an explanation on why number sense contributes to simple arithmetic tasks-'Fluency hypothesis'. AIMS The current study investigates whether number sense contributes to such arithmetic tasks when other cognitive factors are controlled for (including those that mediate the link); and whether this contribution varies as a function of participants' individual maths fluency levels. SAMPLE Four hundred and thirty-seven Chinese schoolchildren (186 females; Mage = 83.49 months) completed a range of cognitive measures in Grade 1 (no previous classroom training) and in Grade 2 (a year later). METHODS Number sense, arithmetic (addition and subtraction), spatial ability, visuo-spatial working memory, perception, reaction time, character reading and general intelligence were measured. RESULTS Our data showed that the link between number sense and arithmetic was weaker in Grade 1 (Beta = .15 for addition and .06 (ns) for subtraction) compared to Grade 2 (.23-.28), but still persisted in children with no previous maths training. Further, math's performance in Grade 1 did not affect the link between number sense and maths performance in Grade 2. CONCLUSION Our data extended previous findings by showing that number sense is linked with simple maths task performance even after controlling for multiple cognitive factors. Our results brought some evidence that number sense-arithmetic link is somewhat sensitive to previous formal maths education. Further research is needed, as the differences in effects between grades were quite small, and arithmetic in Grade 1 did not moderate the link at question in Grade 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Maxim Likhanov
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xinlin Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
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Likhanov M, Bogdanova O, Alenina E, Kolienko T, Kovas Y. No evidence of a positive effect of learning Chinese language as an L2 on spatial ability. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1262. [PMID: 36690672 PMCID: PMC9871025 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26738-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Spatial ability (SA) was shown to be a robust predictor of success in various educational contexts, including STEM. Thus, ways to improve SA are of interest to educational psychology. There is some evidence that SA might be improved via learning character-based language, e.g. Chinese as a second language (CSL), however, the existing research is quite limited. The study aims to investigate an effect of CSL learning on SA in schoolchildren from Year 2 to Year 7. Current study employs a sample of Russian schoolchildren (N = 283), who learnt: English only, English and Spanish; or English and Chinese. Participants completed Raven's progressive matrices and Mental rotation task at the age of 8 and again at the age of 14. Our data showed negligible group differences in the initial SA level at Year 2 (before learning second language). Similar negligible differences were found at Year 7. Regression analysis showed that SA was predicted by intelligence (Raven's) and gender but not language learnt at both ages. This pattern of results indicates that learning a Chinese as a second language is unlikely to affect SA. Further research is needed to investigate whether other factors, such as length, intensity and context of learning, moderate this link.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Likhanov
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Olga Bogdanova
- Psychology Department, National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Evgenia Alenina
- Laboratory for Social and Cognitive Informatics, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
| | - Tatiana Kolienko
- Secondary School Number 43 of Primorski District, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | - Yulia Kovas
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, New Cross, London, SE14 6NW, UK.
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Ahmetov II, Valeeva EV, Yerdenova MB, Datkhabayeva GK, Bouzid A, Bhamidimarri PM, Sharafetdinova LM, Egorova ES, Semenova EA, Gabdrakhmanova LJ, Yusupov RA, Larin AK, Kulemin NA, Generozov EV, Hamoudi R, Kustubayeva AM, Rees T. KIBRA Gene Variant Is Associated with Ability in Chess and Science. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14010204. [PMID: 36672945 PMCID: PMC9859436 DOI: 10.3390/genes14010204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The kidney and brain expressed protein (KIBRA) plays an important role in synaptic plasticity. Carriers of the T allele of the KIBRA (WWC1) gene rs17070145 C/T polymorphism have been reported to have enhanced spatial ability and to outperform individuals with the CC genotype in working memory tasks. Since ability in chess and science is directly related to spatial ability and working memory, we hypothesized that the KIBRA T allele would be positively associated with chess player status and PhD status in science. We tested this hypothesis in a study involving 2479 individuals (194 chess players, 119 PhD degree holders in STEM fields, and 2166 controls; 1417 males and 1062 females) from three ethnicities (236 Kazakhs, 1583 Russians, 660 Tatars). We found that frequencies of the T allele were significantly higher in Kazakh (66.9 vs. 55.1%; p = 0.024), Russian (44.8 vs. 32.0%; p = 0.0027), and Tatar (51.5 vs. 41.8%; p = 0.035) chess players compared with ethnically matched controls (meta-analysis for CT/TT vs. CC: OR = 2.05, p = 0.0001). In addition, none of the international chess grandmasters (ranked among the 80 best chess players in the world) were carriers of the CC genotype (0 vs. 46.3%; OR = 16.4, p = 0.005). Furthermore, Russian and Tatar PhD holders had a significantly higher frequency of CT/TT genotypes compared with controls (meta-analysis: OR = 1.71, p = 0.009). Overall, this is the first study to provide comprehensive evidence that the rs17070145 C/T polymorphism of the KIBRA gene may be associated with ability in chess and science, with the T allele exerting a beneficial effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ildus I. Ahmetov
- Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 5AF, UK
- Laboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, Russia
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Department of Physical Education, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, 115093 Moscow, Russia
- Correspondence:
| | - Elena V. Valeeva
- Laboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, Russia
| | - Meruert B. Yerdenova
- Department of Psychology, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
| | - Gaukhar K. Datkhabayeva
- Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
| | - Amal Bouzid
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Poorna Manasa Bhamidimarri
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Liliya M. Sharafetdinova
- Laboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, Russia
| | - Emiliya S. Egorova
- Laboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, Russia
| | - Ekaterina A. Semenova
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
- Research Institute of Physical Culture and Sport, Volga Region State University of Physical Culture, Sport and Tourism, 420138 Kazan, Russia
| | - Leysan J. Gabdrakhmanova
- Laboratory of Genetics of Aging and Longevity, Kazan State Medical University, 420012 Kazan, Russia
| | - Rinat A. Yusupov
- Department of Physical Culture and Sport, Kazan National Research Technical University Named after A.N. Tupolev-KAI, 420111 Kazan, Russia
| | - Andrey K. Larin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Nikolay A. Kulemin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Edward V. Generozov
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - Rifat Hamoudi
- Sharjah Institute for Medical Research, College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
- Division of Surgery and Interventional Science, University College London, London NW3 2PF, UK
| | - Almira M. Kustubayeva
- Department of Biophysics, Biomedicine and Neuroscience, Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Almaty 050040, Kazakhstan
| | - Tim Rees
- Department of Rehabilitation and Sport Science, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Bournemouth University, Bournemouth BH12 5BB, UK
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Likhanov M, Maslennikova E, Costantini G, Budakova A, Esipenko E, Ismatullina V, Kovas Y. This is the way: Network perspective on targets for spatial ability development programmes. BRITISH JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2022; 92:1597-1620. [PMID: 35698429 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Spatial ability (SA) was shown to be important for success in different fields, including STEM. Recent research suggested that SA is a unitary construct, rather than a set of related skills. However, it is not clear how individual differences in different facets of SA emerge, and how they relate to variance in general cognitive ability. AIMS The aim of the present study was threefold: 1) to examine the structure of SA testing nine theoretical models; 2) to explore the relation between 16 different facets of SA with general cognitive ability; and 3) to identify central facet(s) within the network of SA - with most links and/or strongest links to other facets. SAMPLE The study participants were 958 university students from Russia. METHODS The study used a comprehensive battery of 16 SA tests and a verbal ability measure. RESULTS Results supported previous research, suggesting moderate overlap between all SA facets. Factor analysis suggested several potential structures, with similar fit indices for five different theoretically driven models, including split into small- and large scale; partially independent manipulation, visualization and navigation facets. Confirmatory factor analysis, mediation and network analyses showed spatial ability being largely independent from verbal ability. In addition, network analysis showed that navigation according to directions is in the centre of the network, potentially linking all SA facets. CONCLUSION The results have potential implications for identifying the best targets for SA interventions. The next step in research is conducting experimental studies to evaluate effectiveness of interventions targeting navigation in comparison with other facets of SA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maxim Likhanov
- Center for Educational Neuroscience (CEdNe), ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
| | | | | | - Anna Budakova
- Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Tomsk state university, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Elena Esipenko
- Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Tomsk state university, Tomsk, Russia
| | - Victoria Ismatullina
- Behavioural Developmental Genetics Lab, Psychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, Russia
| | - Yulia Kovas
- Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths University of London, London, UK
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Yang X, Meng X. Visual Processing Matters in Chinese Reading Acquisition and Early Mathematics. Front Psychol 2020; 11:462. [PMID: 32296366 PMCID: PMC7141237 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether visual processing uniquely contributed to character reading and early mathematics in Chinese children. Eighty-two Chinese kindergarteners at K3 (mean age = 68 months, SD = 0.30) were followed up to grade one (mean age = 82 months, SD = 0.35) with an interval of 14 months. Nonverbal intelligence, inhibitory control, sustained attention, character reading, and mathematics were measured at kindergarten. Character reading and mathematics were assessed again at grade one. Results showed visual processing at kindergarten significantly predicted character reading at grade one after controlling for prior reading performance, inhibitory control, sustained attention, age, gender, and nonverbal IQ. Similarly, visual processing at kindergarten explained unique variance in early mathematics at grade one when prior mathematics performance and other covariates at kindergarten were controlled. These findings suggest that visual processing should serve as a domain-general precursor of children's performance in character reading and early mathematics and an important cognitive factor for later academic learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiujie Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiangzhi Meng
- School of Psychological and Cognitive Sciences, Beijing Key Laboratory of Behavioral and Mental Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
- PekingU-PolyU Center for Child Development and Learning, Beijing, China
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