Abstract
The present study examined the influence of features differing across problems (problem size and operation) and across individuals (gender, amount of daily arithmetic practice, calculator use, and arithmetic skill) on simple arithmetic performance. Regression analyses were used to investigate the role of these variables in both strategy selection and strategy efficiency. Results show that more skilled and highly practiced students used memory retrieval more often and executed their strategies more efficiently than did less skilled and practiced students. Furthermore, calculator use correlated with both retrieval and procedural strategy efficiency but not with strategy selection. Only very small associations with gender were observed, with boys retrieving slightly faster than girls. Implications of the present findings for models of mental arithmetic are discussed. Note—This article was accepted by the previous editorial team, when Colin M. MacLeod was Editor.
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The research reported in this article was supported by Grant 011D07803 of the Special Research Fund at Ghent University to the first author and by Grant 10251101 of the Special Research Fund at Ghent University to the second author.
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Imbo, I., Vandierendonck, A. & Rosseel, Y. The influence of problem features and individual differences on strategic performance in simple arithmetic. Memory & Cognition 35, 454–463 (2007). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193285
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03193285