Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Problem size effect and processing strategies in mental arithmetic.

María Isabel Núñez-Peña1, Miriam Cortiñas, Carles Escera

  • 1Department of Behavioral Sciences Methods, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. inunez@ub.edu

Neuroreport
|March 4, 2006
PubMed
Summary

The problem size effect in arithmetic is linked to non-retrieval calculation strategies. Event-related potentials show this effect is related to non-retrieval procedures, not direct memory recall.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Rhythmicity and Trait Absorption Are Linked to Nonordinary States of Consciousness.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·2026
Same author

Neural adaptation in brain responses to vocal and emotional sounds in school-age children.

Cortex; a journal devoted to the study of the nervous system and behavior·2026
Same author

Bilingual Exposure and Sex Shape Developmental Trajectories of Brain Responses to Speech-Sound Features in Infants.

Neurobiology of language (Cambridge, Mass.)·2026
Same author

Neural encoding of speech in noise: Effects of background noise and behavioral correlates.

Hearing research·2026
Same author

Math anxiety and attentional control: the role of focusing and shifting attention in math performance.

Cognition & emotion·2025
Same author

Frequency-Following Response in Infants With Congenital Syphilis.

Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR·2025

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The problem size effect in arithmetic, characterized by increased reaction time for larger operands, is often attributed to non-retrieval strategies.
  • Event-related potentials (ERPs) studies have indicated a late positive slow wave modulation (400-800 ms) associated with the problem size effect.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural underpinnings of the problem size effect in arithmetic.
  • To differentiate the neural processes involved in memory retrieval versus non-retrieval arithmetic strategies using ERPs.

Main Methods:

  • Examined event-related brain potentials (ERPs) during arithmetic operations (addition and subtraction).
  • Manipulated problem size by varying operands (adding/subtracting 2, 4, or 6).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analyzed amplitude modulation of the late positive slow wave (400-800 ms) in relation to problem size and operation type.

    • Main Results:

    • Found significant amplitude modulation of the late positive slow wave in subtractions, consistent with non-retrieval procedures.
    • Observed no significant amplitude modulation in additions, suggesting reliance on direct memory retrieval strategies.
    • The problem size effect's neural correlate appears specifically linked to non-retrieval calculation methods.

    Conclusions:

    • The problem size effect in arithmetic is primarily driven by non-retrieval procedures.
    • ERPs provide insights into the distinct neural mechanisms underlying retrieval and non-retrieval arithmetic strategies.
    • This research supports the hypothesis that the magnitude of arithmetic problems influences the cognitive strategy employed.