2 In the present study, we experimentally tested the role of hand motor circuits in simple-arithm... more 2 In the present study, we experimentally tested the role of hand motor circuits in simple-arithmetic strategies. Educated adults solved simple additions (e.g., 8+3) or simple subtractions (e.g., 11–3) while they were required to retrieve the answer from long-term memory (e.g., knowing that 8+3 = 11), to transform the problem by making an intermediate step (e.g., 8+3 = 8+2+1 = 10+1 = 11) or to count one-by-one (e.g., 8+3 = 8…9…10…11). During the process of solving the arithmetic problems, the experimenter did or did not move the participants ’ hand on a 4-point matrix. The results show that passive hand movements disrupted the counting strategy while leaving the other strategies unaffected. This pattern of results is in agreement with a procedural account, showing that the involvement of hand motor circuits in adults ’ mathematical abilities is reminiscent of finger counting during childhood.
Analysis of percentages strategy use in choice conditions showed no effects of working-memory loa... more Analysis of percentages strategy use in choice conditions showed no effects of working-memory load on strategy selection. The frequency with which each strategy was chosen was equal in load and no-load conditions. DeStefano, D., & LeFevre, J.-A. (2004). The role of working memory in mental arithmetic. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 16, 353-386. Hecht, S.A. (1999). Individual solution processes while solving addition and multiplication facts in adults. Memory & Cognition, 27, 1097-1107.
Instruction and load effects on high-skill and low-skill individuals: A study in the domain of me... more Instruction and load effects on high-skill and low-skill individuals: A study in the domain of mental arithmetic
There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increas... more There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increases in working-memory span scores. In the present study, we tested the role of structure in relation to the age-related increases in visuo-spatial span performance. To that end, children and adults between nine and nineteen years old conducted structured and unstructured versions of the Corsi blocks task. All age groups performed better on structured than on unstructured paths, which indicates that working-memory control processes recruit resources such as long-term memory knowledge in performing the visuo-spatial span task. Interestingly, older participants benefited more from the presented structure than did younger participants, indicating that the structured presentation of sequence paths enhances the development of visuo-spatial span performance. Additional analyses showed that the effect of structure was not attributable to other path characteristics such as the path length or the number of path crossings. Implications of the present findings for views on the development of visuo-spatial working memory are discussed.
The role of working memory in complex arithmetic- 1 The role of phonological and visual working m... more The role of working memory in complex arithmetic- 1 The role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic for
There is a lack of research on how to communicate public health guidelines. Citizen science (CS) ... more There is a lack of research on how to communicate public health guidelines. Citizen science (CS) has been an effective way to involve the public in research. This study analyses the reach of a well-established CS experiment, launched during an annual national science event, to understand if it could be used as communication strategy for public health issues. A short playful online survey contained tailored health-related messages associated to an "animal totem" profile, based on the combination of sitting and physical activity levels (koala: high sitting, low activity; gorilla: high sitting, high activity; zebra: low sitting, low activity; bee: low sitting, high activity). Tweets, radio interviews, radio and online advertisements, press articles, and a press conference were used to promote the CS experiment. Google Analytics and Facebook Graph API (application programming interface) (use and spread of experiment) and descriptive statistics (attributes of adults completing ...
Imbo and LeFevre (2009) observed that Asians (responding in their second language) selected strat... more Imbo and LeFevre (2009) observed that Asians (responding in their second language) selected strategies less adaptively than did non-Asians (responding in their first language). In the present research, we tested whether adaptive strategy selection is (a) really more resource demanding for Asians than for non-Asians or (b) more resource demanding for participants answering in a nonpreferred language. Three groups of participants were tested on a computational estimation task (e.g., 42 x 57 ≈ ?) in no-load and load conditions: 40 Belgian-educated adults who answered in their first language (Dutch), 40 Chinese-educated adults who answered in their first language (Chinese), and 40 Chinese-educated adults who answered in their second language (English). Although the Chinese were faster and more accurate than the Belgians, they selected strategies less adaptively. That is, the Chinese were less likely to choose the strategy that produced the best estimate, and especially so when their working memory was loaded. Further, we also observed that the Chinese who answered in English were slower than the Chinese who answered in Chinese; and this difference was larger for difficult strategies and under working memory load. These results are interpreted in terms of the encoding complex model, whereas the explanation for the adaptivity results is based on cultural differences in educational history.
There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increas... more There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increases in working-memory span scores. In the present study, we tested the role of structure in relation to the age-related increases in visuo-spatial span performance. To that end, children and adults between nine and nineteen years old conducted structured and unstructured versions of the Corsi blocks task. All age groups performed better on structured than on unstructured paths, which indicates that working-memory control processes recruit resources such as long-term memory knowledge in performing the visuo-spatial span task. Interestingly, older participants benefited more from the presented structure than did younger participants, indicating that the structured presentation of sequence paths enhances the development of visuo-spatial span performance. Additional analyses showed that the effect of structure was not attributable to other path characteristics such as the path length or the n...
The present paper aims to investigate differences between Flemish and Chinese children from grade... more The present paper aims to investigate differences between Flemish and Chinese children from grade 3 till 6 mastering the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Firstly, the result showed that Chinese students outperformed Flemish students in each of the grades due to the high demanding curriculum in China. Difference in addition, subtraction and division skills between Chinese and Flemish students decreased with increasing grade. Secondly, the four arithmetic skills had different mastery levels for Chinese and Flemish students. Multiplication was relatively easier for Chinese students compared to their Flemish peers. Thirdly, the low achievers experienced comparable learning difficulties in both countries, while higher achievers reached highest mastery level at early schooling.
The complex-arithmetic performance of three different cultures was tested: Flemish-speaking Belgi... more The complex-arithmetic performance of three different cultures was tested: Flemish-speaking Belgians; English-speaking Canadians; and Chinese-speaking Chinese participants currently living in Canada. All participants solved complex addition problems, half of which included a carry operation. The choice/no-choice method was implemented to obtain unbiased measures of strategy selection and strategy efficiency, and the selective interference paradigm was implemented to test the role of phonological and executive working-memory components. Cultural differences were observed in (a) the involvement of phonological and executive working-memory resources, (b) strategy selection, strategy efficiency, and strategy adaptivity, and (c) the implementation of the carry operation.
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content")... more Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
ABSTRACT The current study investigated the role of the central executive and the phonological lo... more ABSTRACT The current study investigated the role of the central executive and the phonological loop in arithmetic strategies to solve simple addition problems (Experiment 1) and simple subtraction problems (Experiment 2). The choice/no-choice method was used to investigate strategy execution and strategy selection independently. The central executive was involved in both retrieval and procedural strategies, but played a larger role in the latter than in the former. Active phonological processes played a role in procedural strategies only. Passive phonological resources, finally, were only needed when counting was used to solve subtraction problems. No effects of working-memory load on strategy selection were observed.
Sob o olhar dos formandos, ficamos convictos de que a prática da autoscopia contribui para uma fo... more Sob o olhar dos formandos, ficamos convictos de que a prática da autoscopia contribui para uma formação mais eficaz, promovendo uma melhoria da prática letiva, na medida em que, por um lado, lhes permite confrontarem-se com o seu próprio trabalho e tomar consciência das suas possibilidades e limitações e, por outro lado, lhes permite questionarem-se sobre a prática, descobrindo os seus modos próprios de ação, no sentido de alcançar o seu enriquecimento pessoal e crescimento profissional. Palavras-chave: Literacia emergente; iniciação à leitura e à escrita; educação préescolar; formação de professores e educadores; supervisão pedagógica.
supposed that all arithmetic facts are stored in an interconnected network in long-term memory. W... more supposed that all arithmetic facts are stored in an interconnected network in long-term memory. When an arithmetic problem is presented, activation spreads among the number nodes in the network. The most highly activated number node is then selected as the answer to the problem. The distance-or the area-that must be searched by the spreading activation process determines the difficulty of retrieval (cf. the problem-size effect). Addition and multiplication are supposed to rely on similar cognitive processes, and their performance is supposed to be best predicted by structural variables such as the sum, the square of the sum, or the product. These models accounted reasonably well for various kinds of observed data. A disadvantage, however, was that the notion of structural variables such as the sum and the product had very limited psychological plausibility.
The present paper investigates differences in the process of mastering the four basic arithmetic ... more The present paper investigates differences in the process of mastering the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) between Flemish and Chinese children from Grade 3 till Grade 6 (i.e. from 8 to 11 years old). The results showed, firstly, that Chinese students outperformed Flemish students in each grade but that difference in addition, subtraction and division skills between the groups decreased as grade increased. Secondly, the levels of mastery of the four skills varied between Chinese and Flemish students. Multiplication was relatively easier for Chinese students than for their Flemish peers as compared to the other skills (that is, the gap was larger). Third, low achievers experienced comparable learning difficulties in both countries, and higher achievers demonstrated their greater ability early on.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2007
Seventy-two participants estimated products of complex multiplications of twodigit operands (e.g.... more Seventy-two participants estimated products of complex multiplications of twodigit operands (e.g., 63 x 78), using two strategies that differed in complexity. The simple strategy involved rounding both operands down to the closest decades (e.g., 60 x 70), whereas the complex strategy required rounding both operands up to the closest decades (e.g., 70 x 80). Participants accomplished this estimation task in two conditions, a no-load condition and a working-memory load condition in which executive components of working memory were taxed. The choice/nochoice method was used to obtain unbiased strategy execution and strategy selection data. Results showed that loading working-memory resources led participants to poorer strategy execution. Additionally, participants selected the simple strategy more often under working-memory load. We discuss the implications of the results to further our understanding of variations in strategy selection and execution, as well as our understanding of the impact of workingmemory load on arithmetic performance and other cognitive domains. WORKING MEMORY AND ARITHMETIC 3 Working memory, strategy execution, and strategy selection in mental arithmetic The psychology of arithmetic aims at understanding how people solve arithmetic problems. The present project investigated the role of working-memory resources on strategic aspects of human cognition in general and in arithmetic in particular. Previous empirical research in arithmetic showed three robust phenomena relevant to the present project, namely the impacts of problem difficulty, multiple-strategy use, and working-memory load.
2 In the present study, we experimentally tested the role of hand motor circuits in simple-arithm... more 2 In the present study, we experimentally tested the role of hand motor circuits in simple-arithmetic strategies. Educated adults solved simple additions (e.g., 8+3) or simple subtractions (e.g., 11–3) while they were required to retrieve the answer from long-term memory (e.g., knowing that 8+3 = 11), to transform the problem by making an intermediate step (e.g., 8+3 = 8+2+1 = 10+1 = 11) or to count one-by-one (e.g., 8+3 = 8…9…10…11). During the process of solving the arithmetic problems, the experimenter did or did not move the participants ’ hand on a 4-point matrix. The results show that passive hand movements disrupted the counting strategy while leaving the other strategies unaffected. This pattern of results is in agreement with a procedural account, showing that the involvement of hand motor circuits in adults ’ mathematical abilities is reminiscent of finger counting during childhood.
Analysis of percentages strategy use in choice conditions showed no effects of working-memory loa... more Analysis of percentages strategy use in choice conditions showed no effects of working-memory load on strategy selection. The frequency with which each strategy was chosen was equal in load and no-load conditions. DeStefano, D., & LeFevre, J.-A. (2004). The role of working memory in mental arithmetic. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 16, 353-386. Hecht, S.A. (1999). Individual solution processes while solving addition and multiplication facts in adults. Memory & Cognition, 27, 1097-1107.
Instruction and load effects on high-skill and low-skill individuals: A study in the domain of me... more Instruction and load effects on high-skill and low-skill individuals: A study in the domain of mental arithmetic
There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increas... more There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increases in working-memory span scores. In the present study, we tested the role of structure in relation to the age-related increases in visuo-spatial span performance. To that end, children and adults between nine and nineteen years old conducted structured and unstructured versions of the Corsi blocks task. All age groups performed better on structured than on unstructured paths, which indicates that working-memory control processes recruit resources such as long-term memory knowledge in performing the visuo-spatial span task. Interestingly, older participants benefited more from the presented structure than did younger participants, indicating that the structured presentation of sequence paths enhances the development of visuo-spatial span performance. Additional analyses showed that the effect of structure was not attributable to other path characteristics such as the path length or the number of path crossings. Implications of the present findings for views on the development of visuo-spatial working memory are discussed.
The role of working memory in complex arithmetic- 1 The role of phonological and visual working m... more The role of working memory in complex arithmetic- 1 The role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic for
There is a lack of research on how to communicate public health guidelines. Citizen science (CS) ... more There is a lack of research on how to communicate public health guidelines. Citizen science (CS) has been an effective way to involve the public in research. This study analyses the reach of a well-established CS experiment, launched during an annual national science event, to understand if it could be used as communication strategy for public health issues. A short playful online survey contained tailored health-related messages associated to an "animal totem" profile, based on the combination of sitting and physical activity levels (koala: high sitting, low activity; gorilla: high sitting, high activity; zebra: low sitting, low activity; bee: low sitting, high activity). Tweets, radio interviews, radio and online advertisements, press articles, and a press conference were used to promote the CS experiment. Google Analytics and Facebook Graph API (application programming interface) (use and spread of experiment) and descriptive statistics (attributes of adults completing ...
Imbo and LeFevre (2009) observed that Asians (responding in their second language) selected strat... more Imbo and LeFevre (2009) observed that Asians (responding in their second language) selected strategies less adaptively than did non-Asians (responding in their first language). In the present research, we tested whether adaptive strategy selection is (a) really more resource demanding for Asians than for non-Asians or (b) more resource demanding for participants answering in a nonpreferred language. Three groups of participants were tested on a computational estimation task (e.g., 42 x 57 ≈ ?) in no-load and load conditions: 40 Belgian-educated adults who answered in their first language (Dutch), 40 Chinese-educated adults who answered in their first language (Chinese), and 40 Chinese-educated adults who answered in their second language (English). Although the Chinese were faster and more accurate than the Belgians, they selected strategies less adaptively. That is, the Chinese were less likely to choose the strategy that produced the best estimate, and especially so when their working memory was loaded. Further, we also observed that the Chinese who answered in English were slower than the Chinese who answered in Chinese; and this difference was larger for difficult strategies and under working memory load. These results are interpreted in terms of the encoding complex model, whereas the explanation for the adaptivity results is based on cultural differences in educational history.
There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increas... more There is an important debate in the literature about the possible causes of developmental increases in working-memory span scores. In the present study, we tested the role of structure in relation to the age-related increases in visuo-spatial span performance. To that end, children and adults between nine and nineteen years old conducted structured and unstructured versions of the Corsi blocks task. All age groups performed better on structured than on unstructured paths, which indicates that working-memory control processes recruit resources such as long-term memory knowledge in performing the visuo-spatial span task. Interestingly, older participants benefited more from the presented structure than did younger participants, indicating that the structured presentation of sequence paths enhances the development of visuo-spatial span performance. Additional analyses showed that the effect of structure was not attributable to other path characteristics such as the path length or the n...
The present paper aims to investigate differences between Flemish and Chinese children from grade... more The present paper aims to investigate differences between Flemish and Chinese children from grade 3 till 6 mastering the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division). Firstly, the result showed that Chinese students outperformed Flemish students in each of the grades due to the high demanding curriculum in China. Difference in addition, subtraction and division skills between Chinese and Flemish students decreased with increasing grade. Secondly, the four arithmetic skills had different mastery levels for Chinese and Flemish students. Multiplication was relatively easier for Chinese students compared to their Flemish peers. Thirdly, the low achievers experienced comparable learning difficulties in both countries, while higher achievers reached highest mastery level at early schooling.
The complex-arithmetic performance of three different cultures was tested: Flemish-speaking Belgi... more The complex-arithmetic performance of three different cultures was tested: Flemish-speaking Belgians; English-speaking Canadians; and Chinese-speaking Chinese participants currently living in Canada. All participants solved complex addition problems, half of which included a carry operation. The choice/no-choice method was implemented to obtain unbiased measures of strategy selection and strategy efficiency, and the selective interference paradigm was implemented to test the role of phonological and executive working-memory components. Cultural differences were observed in (a) the involvement of phonological and executive working-memory resources, (b) strategy selection, strategy efficiency, and strategy adaptivity, and (c) the implementation of the carry operation.
Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content")... more Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the "Content") contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
ABSTRACT The current study investigated the role of the central executive and the phonological lo... more ABSTRACT The current study investigated the role of the central executive and the phonological loop in arithmetic strategies to solve simple addition problems (Experiment 1) and simple subtraction problems (Experiment 2). The choice/no-choice method was used to investigate strategy execution and strategy selection independently. The central executive was involved in both retrieval and procedural strategies, but played a larger role in the latter than in the former. Active phonological processes played a role in procedural strategies only. Passive phonological resources, finally, were only needed when counting was used to solve subtraction problems. No effects of working-memory load on strategy selection were observed.
Sob o olhar dos formandos, ficamos convictos de que a prática da autoscopia contribui para uma fo... more Sob o olhar dos formandos, ficamos convictos de que a prática da autoscopia contribui para uma formação mais eficaz, promovendo uma melhoria da prática letiva, na medida em que, por um lado, lhes permite confrontarem-se com o seu próprio trabalho e tomar consciência das suas possibilidades e limitações e, por outro lado, lhes permite questionarem-se sobre a prática, descobrindo os seus modos próprios de ação, no sentido de alcançar o seu enriquecimento pessoal e crescimento profissional. Palavras-chave: Literacia emergente; iniciação à leitura e à escrita; educação préescolar; formação de professores e educadores; supervisão pedagógica.
supposed that all arithmetic facts are stored in an interconnected network in long-term memory. W... more supposed that all arithmetic facts are stored in an interconnected network in long-term memory. When an arithmetic problem is presented, activation spreads among the number nodes in the network. The most highly activated number node is then selected as the answer to the problem. The distance-or the area-that must be searched by the spreading activation process determines the difficulty of retrieval (cf. the problem-size effect). Addition and multiplication are supposed to rely on similar cognitive processes, and their performance is supposed to be best predicted by structural variables such as the sum, the square of the sum, or the product. These models accounted reasonably well for various kinds of observed data. A disadvantage, however, was that the notion of structural variables such as the sum and the product had very limited psychological plausibility.
The present paper investigates differences in the process of mastering the four basic arithmetic ... more The present paper investigates differences in the process of mastering the four basic arithmetic operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication and division) between Flemish and Chinese children from Grade 3 till Grade 6 (i.e. from 8 to 11 years old). The results showed, firstly, that Chinese students outperformed Flemish students in each grade but that difference in addition, subtraction and division skills between the groups decreased as grade increased. Secondly, the levels of mastery of the four skills varied between Chinese and Flemish students. Multiplication was relatively easier for Chinese students than for their Flemish peers as compared to the other skills (that is, the gap was larger). Third, low achievers experienced comparable learning difficulties in both countries, and higher achievers demonstrated their greater ability early on.
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 2007
Seventy-two participants estimated products of complex multiplications of twodigit operands (e.g.... more Seventy-two participants estimated products of complex multiplications of twodigit operands (e.g., 63 x 78), using two strategies that differed in complexity. The simple strategy involved rounding both operands down to the closest decades (e.g., 60 x 70), whereas the complex strategy required rounding both operands up to the closest decades (e.g., 70 x 80). Participants accomplished this estimation task in two conditions, a no-load condition and a working-memory load condition in which executive components of working memory were taxed. The choice/nochoice method was used to obtain unbiased strategy execution and strategy selection data. Results showed that loading working-memory resources led participants to poorer strategy execution. Additionally, participants selected the simple strategy more often under working-memory load. We discuss the implications of the results to further our understanding of variations in strategy selection and execution, as well as our understanding of the impact of workingmemory load on arithmetic performance and other cognitive domains. WORKING MEMORY AND ARITHMETIC 3 Working memory, strategy execution, and strategy selection in mental arithmetic The psychology of arithmetic aims at understanding how people solve arithmetic problems. The present project investigated the role of working-memory resources on strategic aspects of human cognition in general and in arithmetic in particular. Previous empirical research in arithmetic showed three robust phenomena relevant to the present project, namely the impacts of problem difficulty, multiple-strategy use, and working-memory load.
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