Is the long-term association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic bi-directional?

By analyzing longitudinal data from the start to the end of primary education, we aimed to investigate whether symbolic numerical magnitude processing at the start of primary education predicted arithmetic at the end, and whether arithmetic at the start of primary education predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills at the end. In the first grade (start) and sixth grade (end) of primary education, the same group of children’s symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills and arithmetic competence were assessed. We were particularly interested in exploring the direction of the association between symbolic numerical magnitude processing and arithmetic and observed that this association was bi-directional across primary education. Symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills in first grade predicted arithmetic in sixth grade; but also the reversed direction turned out significant: Early arithmetic predicted later symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills. Both directions remained significant after controlling for motor speed and nonverbal reasoning. Critically, when controlling for auto-regressive effects of prior abilities, the symbolic comparison-arithmetic association was no longer significant, the reversed direction became marginally significant. This suggests that children’s arithmetic development across primary education to some extent strengthens their ability to process the numerical meaning of Arabic digits. peerReviewed publishedVersion

本研究依托小学教育全程（从入学起始至学业结束）的追踪数据（longitudinal data），旨在探讨两大研究问题：一是小学入学初期的符号数字加工（symbolic numerical magnitude processing）能力能否预测期末算术能力；二是小学入学初期的算术能力能否预测期末的符号数字加工技能。本研究在小学一年级（入学初期）与六年级（教育末期）两个时间点，对同一批儿童的符号数字加工能力与算术能力进行了测评。
本研究重点探究了符号数字加工与算术能力之间的关联方向，结果发现二者在小学教育阶段存在双向关联：小学一年级的符号数字加工能力可显著预测六年级的算术能力；同时反向关联同样显著——入学初期的算术能力可预测期末的符号数字加工技能。在控制了运动速度与非言语推理能力的混淆效应后，上述双向关联仍保持显著。
尤为关键的是，当控制了先前能力的自回归效应后，符号数字加工与算术能力的正向关联不再显著，而反向关联仅呈现边缘显著趋势。这表明，小学阶段儿童的算术发展在一定程度上能够强化其加工阿拉伯数字（Arabic digits）语义的能力。本研究为经同行评议的已发表版本。