How basic cognitive processing affects children's math problem-solving performance?

IF 1.8 3区心理学 Q3 PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL

Cognitive Development Pub Date : 2025-07-01 DOI:10.1016/j.cogdev.2025.101617

Xin Chen , Yuhan Wang , Kaichun Liu , Shuyuan Zhang , Xiao Yu , Yang Yang , Xiujie Yang

{"title":"How basic cognitive processing affects children's math problem-solving performance?","authors":"Xin Chen , Yuhan Wang , Kaichun Liu , Shuyuan Zhang , Xiao Yu , Yang Yang , Xiujie Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.cogdev.2025.101617","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although previous research emphasizes the importance of domain-general cognitive abilities and domain-specific numerical knowledge in general mathematics domains (Geary, 2004), their roles in specific domain, especially word problem solving, remain underexplored. This study investigated the contributions of various cognitive components to early word-problem performance by adapting Geary’s (2004) cognitive competencies framework. Ninety-five Chinese kindergarten children (ages 3.39–6.55 years, mean age = 5.58, SD = 0.91) completed tasks assessing language processing, visuospatial processing, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and word problems. Results revealed that conceptual and procedural knowledge mediated the relationship between basic cognitive processing (language and visuospatial systems) and word problems. Specifically, phonological awareness in the language system showed an indirect association with word problems via procedural knowledge, and via a sequential pathway involving conceptual and procedural knowledge. No significant indirect effect of receptive vocabulary was found. Both aspects of the visuospatial system, visual perception and mental rotation, showed indirect associations with word problems via a sequential pathway involving conceptual and procedural knowledge. These results broaden Geary’s framework to encompass early word problem solving and provide initial guidance for future research concerning children who face mathematical learning difficulties. This includes the exploration of potential areas for screening and intervention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":51422,"journal":{"name":"Cognitive Development","volume":"75 ","pages":"Article 101617"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cognitive Development","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885201425000772","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, DEVELOPMENTAL","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

Although previous research emphasizes the importance of domain-general cognitive abilities and domain-specific numerical knowledge in general mathematics domains (Geary, 2004), their roles in specific domain, especially word problem solving, remain underexplored. This study investigated the contributions of various cognitive components to early word-problem performance by adapting Geary’s (2004) cognitive competencies framework. Ninety-five Chinese kindergarten children (ages 3.39–6.55 years, mean age = 5.58, SD = 0.91) completed tasks assessing language processing, visuospatial processing, conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and word problems. Results revealed that conceptual and procedural knowledge mediated the relationship between basic cognitive processing (language and visuospatial systems) and word problems. Specifically, phonological awareness in the language system showed an indirect association with word problems via procedural knowledge, and via a sequential pathway involving conceptual and procedural knowledge. No significant indirect effect of receptive vocabulary was found. Both aspects of the visuospatial system, visual perception and mental rotation, showed indirect associations with word problems via a sequential pathway involving conceptual and procedural knowledge. These results broaden Geary’s framework to encompass early word problem solving and provide initial guidance for future research concerning children who face mathematical learning difficulties. This includes the exploration of potential areas for screening and intervention.

查看原文本刊更多论文

基本认知加工如何影响儿童的数学问题解决能力？

虽然以往的研究强调了领域通用认知能力和领域特定数值知识在普通数学领域的重要性（Geary, 2004），但它们在特定领域，特别是在解决字问题方面的作用仍未得到充分探讨。本研究采用Geary（2004）的认知能力框架，探讨了不同认知成分对早期字题表现的影响。95名中国幼儿园儿童（年龄3.39 ~ 6.55岁，平均年龄5.58岁，SD = 0.91）完成了语言加工、视觉空间加工、概念知识、程序知识和文字问题的评估任务。结果表明，概念知识和程序知识介导了基本认知加工（语言和视觉空间系统）与单词问题之间的关系。具体而言，语言系统中的语音意识通过程序性知识和包括概念性知识和程序性知识的顺序途径与单词问题存在间接关联。接受性词汇的间接影响不显著。视觉空间系统的两个方面，视觉感知和心理旋转，通过一个包括概念和程序知识的顺序通路，显示出与单词问题的间接关联。这些结果扩大了Geary的框架，将早期的文字问题解决纳入其中，并为未来有关面临数学学习困难的儿童的研究提供初步指导。这包括探索筛查和干预的潜在领域。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Cognitive Development Multiple-

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

5.60%

发文量

114

期刊介绍： Cognitive Development contains the very best empirical and theoretical work on the development of perception, memory, language, concepts, thinking, problem solving, metacognition, and social cognition. Criteria for acceptance of articles will be: significance of the work to issues of current interest, substance of the argument, and clarity of expression. For purposes of publication in Cognitive Development, moral and social development will be considered part of cognitive development when they are related to the development of knowledge or thought processes.