Memory updating capacity is the better predictor of multiplication performance than numerical acuity

Abstract

It has been claimed that approximate numerosity system (ANS) is a foundational for learning arithmetic. In particular, “numerical acuity”, individual differences in the ability to discriminate the numerosities of two visual displays, predicts arithmetical ability. Here we assessed whether capacity on this ANS task predicts arithmetical performance as compared with measures of working memory capacity. Forty-seven college students to participated in tasks that evaluate (1) general cognitive activities (four working memory tests that included memory updating, operation span, sentence span, and spatial short-term memory), (2) numerical acuity, and (3) multiplication performance. Participants who performed well in multiplication task had higher accuracy rates and shorter reaction times than low performing ones; these two groups also showed different calculation strategies. There are two methods to work through the multiplicand. One is from right to left, and the other is from left to right. The later method was used to solve multiplication problems in the high performing group more (more than 63% trials) than the low performing group (less than 21% trials). Multiplication performance is highly correlated with working memory capacities. Participants with good performance in memory updating test performed better in multiplication test. Performances between approximate number system and multiplication tasks were only weakly correlated. Comparisons between working memory tests and approximate number system task to multiplication performance had suggested working memory capacity, especially the memory updating capacity, was a better predictor for multiplication performance. The present study thus concluded executive function is more crucial for arithmetic learning.