The contributions of numerical acuity and non-numerical stimulus features to the development of the number sense and symbolic math achievement

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Development
• Educational Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Numerical acuity, often assessed via nonsymbolic numerical comparison, predicts math ability.
• Concerns exist regarding insufficient stimulus control in these tasks, with alternative visual features or inhibitory control proposed as explanations.
• This study addresses these limitations by parsing the influence of numerosity versus other visual features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the distinct contributions of numerosity, non-numerical visual features, and inhibitory control to mathematical ability across development.
• To examine how the influence of these factors changes from early childhood to adulthood.
• To determine the predictive power of numerical acuity for math achievement, independent of other cognitive factors.

Main Methods:

• A novel mathematical algorithm was employed to differentiate the influence of numerosity from other visual features in nonsymbolic numerical discrimination tasks.
• Participants (4-year-olds, 6-year-olds, and adults) completed a nonsymbolic numerical comparison task, a symbolic math assessment, and an inhibitory control test.
• Developmental trajectories of numerical acuity, non-numerical bias, and inhibitory control were analyzed in relation to mathematical ability.

Main Results:

• The impact of non-numerical features on decision-making significantly decreased with age.
• Numerosity consistently emerged as a primary determinant of numerical discrimination across all age groups.
• Numerical acuity proved to be a stronger predictor of math achievement in children compared to non-numerical bias or inhibitory control.

Conclusions:

• The capacity for selective attention to numerical information supports the development of number sense.
• Numerical acuity, distinct from inhibitory control, is a crucial contributor to mathematical achievement in early childhood.
• These findings highlight the foundational role of innate numerical abilities in developing mathematical competence.