Is the long-term association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic bi-directional?
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Vanbinst, Kiran
Ghesquière, Pol
De Smedt, Bert
Abstract / Description
By analyzing longitudinal data from the start to the end of primary education, we aimed to investigate whether symbolic numerical magnitude processing at the start of primary education predicted arithmetic at the end, and whether arithmetic at the start of primary education predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills at the end. In the first grade (start) and sixth grade (end) of primary education, the same group of children’s symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills and arithmetic competence were assessed. We were particularly interested in exploring the direction of the association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic and observed that this association was bi-directional across primary education. Symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills in first grade predicted arithmetic in sixth grade; but also the reversed direction turned out significant: Early arithmetic predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills. Both directions remained significant after controlling for motor speed and nonverbal reasoning. Critically, when controlling for auto-regressive effects of prior abilities, the symbolic comparison-arithmetic association was no longer significant, the reversed direction became marginally significant. This suggests that children’s arithmetic development across primary education to some extent strengthens their ability to process the numerical meaning of Arabic digits.
Keyword(s)
6-year longitudinal design symbolic numerical magnitude processing arithmetic bi-directionalityPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2019-12-20
Journal title
Journal of Numerical Cognition
Volume
5
Issue
3
Page numbers
358–370
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Vanbinst, K., Ghesquière, P., & De Smedt, B. (2019). Is the long-term association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic bi-directional?. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 5(3), 358-370. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v5i3.202
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jnc.v5i3.202.pdfAdobe PDF - 260.48KBMD5: b0813a3c3687b246bb731c4cc3d27092
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Vanbinst, Kiran
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Ghesquière, Pol
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Author(s) / Creator(s)De Smedt, Bert
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2022-04-14T11:21:40Z
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Made available on2022-04-14T11:21:40Z
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Date of first publication2019-12-20
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Abstract / DescriptionBy analyzing longitudinal data from the start to the end of primary education, we aimed to investigate whether symbolic numerical magnitude processing at the start of primary education predicted arithmetic at the end, and whether arithmetic at the start of primary education predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills at the end. In the first grade (start) and sixth grade (end) of primary education, the same group of children’s symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills and arithmetic competence were assessed. We were particularly interested in exploring the direction of the association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic and observed that this association was bi-directional across primary education. Symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills in first grade predicted arithmetic in sixth grade; but also the reversed direction turned out significant: Early arithmetic predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills. Both directions remained significant after controlling for motor speed and nonverbal reasoning. Critically, when controlling for auto-regressive effects of prior abilities, the symbolic comparison-arithmetic association was no longer significant, the reversed direction became marginally significant. This suggests that children’s arithmetic development across primary education to some extent strengthens their ability to process the numerical meaning of Arabic digits.en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationVanbinst, K., Ghesquière, P., & De Smedt, B. (2019). Is the long-term association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic bi-directional?. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 5(3), 358-370. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v5i3.202en_US
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ISSN2363-8761
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/5465
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.6069
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v5i3.202
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Is related tohttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2673
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Keyword(s)6-year longitudinal designen_US
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Keyword(s)symbolic numerical magnitude processingen_US
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Keyword(s)arithmeticen_US
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Keyword(s)bi-directionalityen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleIs the long-term association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic bi-directional?en_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue3
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Journal titleJournal of Numerical Cognition
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Page numbers358–370
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Volume5
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Visible tag(s)Version of Recorden_US