Boys' Advantage on the Fractions Number Line Is Mediated by Visuospatial Attention: Evidence for a Parietal-Spatial Contribution to Number Line Learning

Autor/inn/en	Geary, David C.; Scofield, John E.; Hoard, Mary K.; Nugent, Lara
Titel	Boys' Advantage on the Fractions Number Line Is Mediated by Visuospatial Attention: Evidence for a Parietal-Spatial Contribution to Number Line Learning
Quelle	In: Developmental Science, 24 (2021) 3, (19 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1467-7687
DOI	10.1111/desc.13063
Schlagwörter	Males; Fractions; Spatial Ability; Attention; Gender Differences; Advantaged; Arithmetic; Visual Aids; Adolescents; Short Term Memory; Intelligence + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Male; Männliches Geschlecht; Bruchrechnung; Räumliches Vorstellungsvermögen; Aufmerksamkeit; Geschlechterkonflikt; Addition; Arithmetik; Arithmetikunterricht; Rechnen; Anschauungsmaterial; Adolescent; Adolescence; Adoleszenz; Jugend; Jugendalter; Jugendlicher; Kurzzeitgedächtnis; Intelligenz; Klugheit
Abstract	The study tested the hypotheses that boys will have an advantage learning the fractions number line and this advantage will be mediated by spatial abilities. Fractions number line and, as a contrast, fractions arithmetic performance were assessed for 342 adolescents, as was their intelligence, working memory, and various spatial abilities. Boys showed smaller placement errors on the fractions number line (d = -0.22) and correctly solved more fractions arithmetic problems (d = 0.23) than girls. Working memory and intelligence predicted performance on both fractions measures, and a measure of visuospatial attention uniquely predicted number line performance and fully mediated the sex difference. Visuospatial working memory uniquely predicted fractions arithmetic performance and fully mediated the sex difference. The results help to clarify the nuanced relations between spatial abilities and formal mathematics learning and the sex differences that often emerge in mathematical domains that have a visuospatial component. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01