Zhou Xinlin, Hu Yuwei, Yuan Li, Gu Tianan, Li Dawei
State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning and IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
Advanced Innovation Center for Future Education and Siegler Center for Innovative Learning, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
Cogn Process. 2020 Nov;21(4):521-532. doi: 10.1007/s10339-020-00980-w. Epub 2020 Jun 16.
Numerous studies have demonstrated an association between approximate number system (ANS) acuity and mathematical performance. Studies have also shown that ANS acuity can predict the longitudinal development of mathematical achievement. Visual form perception in the current investigation was proposed to account for the predictive role of ANS acuity in the development of mathematical achievement. One hundred and eighty-eight school children (100 males, 88 females; mean age = 12.2 ± 0.3 years) participated in the study by completing five tests: numerosity comparison, figure matching, mental rotation, nonverbal matrix reasoning, and choice reaction time. Three years later, they took a mathematical achievement test. We assessed whether the early tests predicted mathematical achievement at the later date. Analysis showed that the ANS acuity measured via numerosity comparison significantly predicted mathematical achievement 3 years later, even when controlling for individual differences in mental rotation, nonverbal matrix reasoning, and choice reaction time, as well as age and gender differences. Hierarchical regression and mediation analyses further showed that the longitudinal predictive role of ANS acuity in mathematical achievement was interpreted by visual form perception measured with a figure-matching test. Together, these results indicate that visual form perception may be the underlying cognitive mechanism that links ANS acuity to mathematical achievement in terms of longitudinal development.
大量研究表明，近似数字系统（ANS）敏锐度与数学成绩之间存在关联。研究还表明，ANS敏锐度可以预测数学成绩的纵向发展。本研究提出，视觉形式感知可以解释ANS敏锐度在数学成绩发展中的预测作用。188名学童（100名男性，88名女性；平均年龄 = 12.2 ± 0.3岁）通过完成五项测试参与了该研究：数字比较、图形匹配、心理旋转、非言语矩阵推理和选择反应时。三年后，他们参加了一项数学成绩测试。我们评估了早期测试是否能预测后期的数学成绩。分析表明，即使在控制了心理旋转、非言语矩阵推理、选择反应时的个体差异以及年龄和性别差异后，通过数字比较测量的ANS敏锐度仍能显著预测三年后的数学成绩。分层回归和中介分析进一步表明，ANS敏锐度在数学成绩方面的纵向预测作用可以通过图形匹配测试测量的视觉形式感知来解释。总之，这些结果表明，在纵向发展方面，视觉形式感知可能是将ANS敏锐度与数学成绩联系起来的潜在认知机制。
