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How does task switching affect arithmetic strategy use in children with low mathematics achievement? Evidence from computational estimation

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Abstract

Although an increasing number of studies have suggested that students with low mathematics achievement (LMA) tend to perform worse in arithmetic strategy use than children with typical development, the potential reasons remain unclear. Accordingly, the current study investigated the potential impact of task switching on strategy use for children with LMA in computational estimation. In order to determine whether the differences in strategy use by children with LMA were due to a developmental delay or a developmental defect, 21 sixth-graders with LMA, 20 sixth-grader age-matched normal students (AM), and 21 fifth-grade math achievement–matched normal students (MM) were selected. The combination of choice/no-choice method and switching paradigm was employed. Results showed that task switching had significant effects on rounding-down strategy in the strategy execution condition for all groups. However, its effect on rounding-up strategy was significant only for the LMA group. In addition, the AM group outperformed significantly the LMA and MM groups on strategy choice, but the latter two groups did not significantly differ. These results suggest that strategy switch costs were influenced by participants and strategy characteristics. Moreover, poor performance of strategy choice in LMA children was likely due to a developmental delay rather than a defect.

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Acknowledgment

We thank the children who participated in this research, and Xiaoyu Liu, Changzhi Wu, and Xichao Zhu for helping with the language.

Funding

This work was financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (31371048) and Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of the Ministry of Education of China (18YJA190014).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District, Jinan, 250014, Shandong, China

    Hongxia Li, Xiaoteng Hua, Yalin Yang, Bijuan Huang & Jiwei Si

  2. Jinglun Primary School, Jinan, China

    Yalin Yang

Authors
  1. Hongxia Li
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  2. Xiaoteng Hua
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  3. Yalin Yang
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  4. Bijuan Huang
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  5. Jiwei Si
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jiwei Si.

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Hongxia Li. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District , Jinan, 250014 Shandong, China.

Current themes of research:

Cognitive and neural basic of arithmetic computational estimation strategy utilization.

Reciprocal relationship between mathematics anxiety and mathematics ability.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Zhang, M., Si, J., Yang, W., Xing, S., Li, H., & Zhang, J. (2018). Interaction effects between BDNF gene rs6265 polymorphism and parent-involved education on basic mathematical ability in primary school children. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 50(9),1007–1017.

Li, H., Zhang, M., Wang, X., Ding, X., & Si, J. (2018). Central executive mediates the relationship between children’s approximate number system acuity and arithmetic strategy utilization in computational estimation. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–12.

Yang, W., Zhang, T., Li, H., Zhang, J., & Si, J. (2018). The effect of central executive load on strategy utilization of computational estimation in children with mathematics learning difficulties. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 50(5), 501–516.

Si, J., Li, H., Sun, Y., Xu, Y., & Sun, Y. (2016). Age-related differences of individuals’ arithmetic strategy utilization with different level of math anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1612. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01612

Xiaoteng Hua. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District , Jinan, 250014 Shandong, China.

Current themes of research:

Cognitive and neural basic of arithmetic computational estimation strategy utilization.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Liu, W., Hua, X., Feng, H., Hu, D., & Si, J. (2014). The Age-Related Differences of Arithmetic Strategy Use in Calculation: The Role of Metacognitive Monitoring and Arithmetic Knowledge. Psychological Development and Education, 30(3), 234–243.

Yalin Yang. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District , Jinan, 250014 Shandong, China.

Jinglun Primary School, Jinan, China.

Current themes of research:

Cognitive and neural basic of arithmetic computational estimation strategy utilization.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Yang, Y., Yang, W., Zhang, M., & Si, J. (2017). From numerosity representation to number representation: The acquisition of human numerical competence under embodied cognition perspective. Journal of Psychological Science, 41(1), 91–97.

Bijuan Huang. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District , Jinan, 250014 Shandong, China. E-mail: sijiwei1974@126.com

Current themes of research:

Cognitive and neural basic of arithmetic computational estimation strategy utilization.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Huang, B., Feng, H., Si, J., Zhang, J., & Wang, X. (2016). Dual-task coordination and task presentation mode influence arithmetic strategy execution in adults: Evidence from computational extimation. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 48(6), 671–683.

Jiwei Si. School of Psychology, Shandong Normal University, No. 88 East Wen Hua Road, Li Xia District , Jinan, 250014 Shandong, China. E-mail: sijiwei1974@126.com

Current themes of research:

Cognitive and neural basic of arithmetic computational estimation strategy utilization.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Zhang, M., Si, J., Yang, W., Xing, S., Li, H., & Zhang, J. (2018). Interaction effects between BDNF gene rs6265 polymorphism and parent-involved education on basic mathematical ability in primary school children. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 50(9), 1007–1017.

Li, H., Zhang, M., Wang, X., Ding, X., & Si, J. (2018). Central executive mediates the relationship between children’s approximate number system acuity and arithmetic strategy utilization in computational estimation. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 1–12.

Yang, W., Zhang, T., Li, H., Zhang, J., & Si, J. (2018). The effect of central executive load on strategy utilization of computational estimation in children with mathematics learning difficulties. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 50(5), 501–516.

Ai, J. Yang, J., Zhang, T., Si, J. & Liu, Y. (2017). The effect of central executive load on fourth and sixth graders’ use of arithmetic strategies. Psychologica Belgica, 57(2), 154–172. doi:https://doi.org/10.5334/pb.360

Ding, X., Lv, N., Yang, Y., Si, J. (2017). Age-related differences of different components of working memory: The predictive effect on strategy utilization in arithmetic. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 49(6), 759–770.

Si, J., Li, H., Sun, Y., Xu, Y., & Sun, Y. (2016). Age-related differences of individuals’ arithmetic strategy utilization with different level of math anxiety. Frontiers in Psychology, 7, 1612. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01612

Ai, J., Zhang, H., Si, J. (2016). The effects of presenting mode, reaction order of dual task on adults’ arithmetic strategy choice and execution, Acta Psychologica Sinica, 48(10), 1248–1257.

Huang, B., Feng, H., Si, J., Zhang, J., Wang, X. (2016). Dual-task coordination and task presentation mode influence arithmetic strategy execution in adults: Evidence from computational estimation. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 48(6), 671–683.

Lu, C., Guo, H., Si, J. (2014). Representation patterns of children’s and adults’ fraction estimation on different number lines. Psychological Development and Education, 30(5), 449–456.

Liu, W., Hua, X., Feng, H., Hu, D., Si, J. (2014). The age-related differences of arithmetic strategy use in calculation: The role of metacognitive monitoring and arithmetic knowledge. Psychological Development and Education, 30(3), 234–243.

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Li, H., Hua, X., Yang, Y. et al. How does task switching affect arithmetic strategy use in children with low mathematics achievement? Evidence from computational estimation. Eur J Psychol Educ 35, 225–240 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-019-00425-9

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