The Structure of Abilities in Math-Precocious Young Children: Gender Similarities and Differences

For this study of the organization of cognitive abilities and gender differences in young children advanced in mathematical reasoning, parents identified 778 preschoolers and kindergartners. After screening with 2 arithmetic subtests of standard intelligence tests, 310 high scorers (55% boys) were g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 1996-06, Vol.88 (2), p.341-352
Main Authors: Robinson, Nancy M, Abbott, Robert D, Berninger, Virginia W, Busse, Julie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Differences
Biological and medical sciences
Child
Child development
Child psychology
Children & youth
Cognition & reasoning
Developmental psychology
Elementary School Students
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gifted
Human
Human Sex Differences
Kindergarten Students
Male
Mathematical Ability
Mathematics
Precocious Development
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Sexes
Short Term Memory
Spatial Ability
Verbal Ability
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Summary:For this study of the organization of cognitive abilities and gender differences in young children advanced in mathematical reasoning, parents identified 778 preschoolers and kindergartners. After screening with 2 arithmetic subtests of standard intelligence tests, 310 high scorers (55% boys) were given 15 additional measures. Mean performance of these high scorers on all standardized measures was 1 to 2 standard deviations above the mean of the norming samples. Boys scored higher on 8 of 11 quantitative measures, 0 of 3 verbal measures, and 1 of 3 spatial measures, including quantitative and spatial working memory span. Three factors (quantitative, verbal, and spatial) were modeled using confirmatory factor analysis; patterns of relationships were similar for older and younger groups and for girls and boys. Spatial and quantitative factors were highly correlated; the verbal factor correlated weakly with the others but showed a stronger relationship with the spatial factor for boys than girls.
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/0022-0663.88.2.341