Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, USA.
Dev Sci. 2013 Jan;16(1):136-48. doi: 10.1111/desc.12013. Epub 2012 Dec 20.
Recent findings by Libertus, Feigenson, and Halberda (2011) suggest that there is an association between the acuity of young children's approximate number system (ANS) and their mathematics ability before exposure to instruction in formal schooling. The present study examined the generalizability and validity of these findings in a sample of preschoolers from low-income homes. Children attending Head Start (N = 103) completed measures to assess ANS acuity, mathematics ability, receptive vocabulary, and inhibitory control. Results showed only a weak association between ANS acuity and mathematics ability that was reduced to non-significance when controlling for a direct measure of receptive vocabulary. Results also revealed that inhibitory control plays an important role in the relation between ANS acuity and mathematics ability. Specifically, ANS acuity accounted for significant variance in mathematics ability over and above receptive vocabulary, but only for ANS acuity trials in which surface area conflicted with numerosity. Moreover, this association became non-significant when controlling for inhibitory control. These results suggest that early mathematical experiences prior to formal schooling may influence the strength of the association between ANS acuity and mathematics ability and that inhibitory control may drive that association in young children.
Libertus、Feigenson 和 Halberda（2011）最近的研究结果表明，在接受正规学校教育之前，儿童近似数量系统（ANS）的敏锐度与他们的数学能力之间存在关联。本研究在来自低收入家庭的学龄前儿童样本中检验了这些发现的普遍性和有效性。参加“头等大事”（Head Start）的儿童（N=103）完成了评估 ANS 敏锐度、数学能力、接受性词汇和抑制控制的测量。结果表明，ANS 敏锐度和数学能力之间只有微弱的关联，当控制直接测量接受性词汇时，这种关联就变得没有意义了。结果还表明，抑制控制在 ANS 敏锐度和数学能力之间的关系中起着重要作用。具体来说，在接受性词汇之外，ANS 敏锐度可以解释数学能力的显著差异，但仅在与数量相比表面区域冲突的 ANS 敏锐度试验中。此外，当控制抑制控制时，这种关联变得没有意义。这些结果表明，在接受正规学校教育之前的早期数学经验可能会影响 ANS 敏锐度和数学能力之间关联的强度，而抑制控制可能会驱动幼儿之间的这种关联。
