Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement
Achievement in mathematics is predicted by an individual’s domain-specific factual knowledge, procedural skill and conceptual understanding as well as domain-general executive function skills. In this study we investigated the extent to which executive function skills contribute to these three compo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2017
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43323/ |
| _version_ | 1848796663559225344 |
|---|---|
| author | Cragg, Lucy Keeble, Sarah Richardson, Sophie Roome, Hannah E. Gilmore, Camilla |
| author_facet | Cragg, Lucy Keeble, Sarah Richardson, Sophie Roome, Hannah E. Gilmore, Camilla |
| author_sort | Cragg, Lucy |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Achievement in mathematics is predicted by an individual’s domain-specific factual knowledge, procedural skill and conceptual understanding as well as domain-general executive function skills. In this study we investigated the extent to which executive function skills contribute to these three components of mathematical knowledge, whether this mediates the relationship between executive functions and overall mathematics achievement, and if these relationships change with age. Two hundred and ninety-three participants aged between 8 and 25 years completed a large battery of mathematics and executive function tests. Domain-specific skills partially mediated the relationship between executive functions and mathematics achievement: Inhibitory control within the numerical domain was associated with factual knowledge and procedural skill, which in turn was associated with mathematical achievement. Working memory contributed to mathematics achievement indirectly through factual knowledge, procedural skill and, to a lesser extent, conceptual understanding. There remained a substantial direct pathway between working memory and mathematics achievement however, which may reflect the role of working memory in identifying and constructing problem representations. These relationships were remarkably stable from 8 years through to young adulthood. Our findings help to refine existing multi-component frameworks of mathematics and understand the mechanisms by which executive functions support mathematics achievement. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:51:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-43323 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T19:51:34Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-433232020-05-04T19:57:23Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43323/ Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement Cragg, Lucy Keeble, Sarah Richardson, Sophie Roome, Hannah E. Gilmore, Camilla Achievement in mathematics is predicted by an individual’s domain-specific factual knowledge, procedural skill and conceptual understanding as well as domain-general executive function skills. In this study we investigated the extent to which executive function skills contribute to these three components of mathematical knowledge, whether this mediates the relationship between executive functions and overall mathematics achievement, and if these relationships change with age. Two hundred and ninety-three participants aged between 8 and 25 years completed a large battery of mathematics and executive function tests. Domain-specific skills partially mediated the relationship between executive functions and mathematics achievement: Inhibitory control within the numerical domain was associated with factual knowledge and procedural skill, which in turn was associated with mathematical achievement. Working memory contributed to mathematics achievement indirectly through factual knowledge, procedural skill and, to a lesser extent, conceptual understanding. There remained a substantial direct pathway between working memory and mathematics achievement however, which may reflect the role of working memory in identifying and constructing problem representations. These relationships were remarkably stable from 8 years through to young adulthood. Our findings help to refine existing multi-component frameworks of mathematics and understand the mechanisms by which executive functions support mathematics achievement. Elsevier 2017-05 Article PeerReviewed Cragg, Lucy, Keeble, Sarah, Richardson, Sophie, Roome, Hannah E. and Gilmore, Camilla (2017) Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement. Cognition, 162 . pp. 12-26. ISSN 1873-7838 Mathematical cognition; Executive function; Working memory; Factual knowledge; Conceptual understanding; Procedural skill http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010027717300239 doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2017.01.014 doi:10.1016/j.cognition.2017.01.014 |
| spellingShingle | Mathematical cognition; Executive function; Working memory; Factual knowledge; Conceptual understanding; Procedural skill Cragg, Lucy Keeble, Sarah Richardson, Sophie Roome, Hannah E. Gilmore, Camilla Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title | Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title_full | Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title_fullStr | Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title_full_unstemmed | Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title_short | Direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| title_sort | direct and indirect influences of executive functions on mathematics achievement |
| topic | Mathematical cognition; Executive function; Working memory; Factual knowledge; Conceptual understanding; Procedural skill |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43323/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43323/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/43323/ |