The developmental relationship between nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities

•Nonsymbolic fraction ability has unique relationship with symbolic fraction ability.•Nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities are correlated in both children and adults.•The strength of the relationship between nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities decreases during development. A fundament...

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Published in:Journal of experimental child psychology 2023-08, Vol.232, p.105666-105666, Article 105666
Main Authors: Lv, Jianxiang, Mao, Huomin, Zeng, Liping, Wang, Xuqing, Zhou, Xinlin, Mou, Yi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Cognition
Humans
Mathematics
Memory, Short-Term
Nonsymbolic fraction
Nonsymbolic proportion
Nonsymbolic quantitative ability
Symbolic fraction
Symbolic proportion
Symbolic quantitative ability
Young Adult
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Summary:•Nonsymbolic fraction ability has unique relationship with symbolic fraction ability.•Nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities are correlated in both children and adults.•The strength of the relationship between nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities decreases during development. A fundamental research question in quantitative cognition concerns the developmental relationship between nonsymbolic and symbolic quantitative abilities. This study examined this developmental relationship in abilities to process nonsymbolic and symbolic fractions. There were 99 6th graders (Mage = 11.86 years), 101 10th graders (Mage = 15.71 years), and 102 undergraduate and graduate students (Mage = 21.97 years) participating in this study, and their nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities were measured with nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction comparison tasks, respectively. Nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities were significantly correlated in all age groups even after controlling for the ability to process nonsymbolic absolute quantity and general cognitive abilities, including working memory and inhibitory control. Moreover, the strength of nonsymbolic–symbolic correlations was higher in 6th graders than in 10th graders and adults. These findings suggest a weakened association between nonsymbolic and symbolic fraction abilities during development, and this developmental pattern may be related with participants’ increasing proficiency in symbolic fractions.
ISSN:0022-0965
1096-0457
DOI:10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105666