Individual differences in basic numerical skills: The role of executive functions and motor skills

Gashaj, Venera; Oberer, Nicole; Mast, Fred W.; Roebers, Claudia (2019). Individual differences in basic numerical skills: The role of executive functions and motor skills. Journal of experimental child psychology, 182, pp. 187-195. Elsevier 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.01.021

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The aim of the current study was to explore individual differences in basic numerical skills in a normative sample of 151 kindergarteners (mean age = 6.45 years). Whereas previous research claims a substantial link between executive functions and basic numerical skills, motor abilities have been put forward to explain variance in numerical skills. Regarding the current study, these two assumptions have been combined, revealing interesting results. Namely, executive functions (inhibition, switching, and visuospatial working memory) were found to relate to symbolic numerical skills, and motor skills (gross and fine motor skills) showed a significant correlation to nonsymbolic numerical skills. Suggesting that motor skills and executive functions are associated with basic numerical skills could lead to potential avenues for interventions in certain disorders or disabilities such as nonverbal learning disability, developmental dyscalculia, and developmental coordination disorder.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Developmental Psychology
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Cognitive Psychology, Perception and Methodology
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Personality Psychology, Differential Psychology and Diagnostics

Graduate School:

Swiss Graduate School for Cognition, Learning and Memory (SGS-CLM)

UniBE Contributor:

Gashaj, Venera, Oberer, Nicole, Mast, Fred, Roebers, Claudia

Subjects:

100 Philosophy > 150 Psychology
300 Social sciences, sociology & anthropology > 370 Education

ISSN:

0022-0965

Publisher:

Elsevier

Language:

English

Submitter:

Jennifer Ruth Sprenger

Date Deposited:

04 Oct 2019 16:25

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:31

Publisher DOI:

10.1016/j.jecp.2019.01.021

BORIS DOI:

10.7892/boris.133609

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/133609

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