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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 24, 2026

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Published on: August 28, 2021

Gender differences in children's arithmetic performance are accounted for by gender differences in language

Wei Wei¹, Hao Lu, Hui Zhao

¹National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Beijing Normal University, China.

Psychological Science

|February 21, 2012

Summary

Girls outperform boys in arithmetic and language tasks, with their math advantage linked to superior language processing skills. This study analyzed 1,556 children aged 8-11 in Beijing.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology

Background:

Previous research indicates a consistent female advantage in arithmetic skills among children.
Understanding the cognitive underpinnings of gender differences in academic performance is crucial for educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate gender differences in various cognitive tasks, including arithmetic, numerical processing, and language.
To determine the role of language processing in explaining girls' advantage in arithmetic.

Main Methods:

A cohort of 1,556 pupils (8-11 years old) from urban and rural Beijing participated.
Participants completed 10 distinct cognitive tasks assessing arithmetic, numerical comparison, reaction time, and language abilities.

Main Results:

Girls outperformed boys in arithmetic (subtraction, multiplication), numerosity comparison, number comparison, number-series completion, choice reaction time, and word-rhyming tasks.
Boys showed an advantage in a mental rotation task.
Controlling for word-rhyming task scores eliminated gender differences in arithmetic, while controlling for numerical or general cognitive tasks did not.

Conclusions:

Girls' superior performance in arithmetic is likely attributable to their enhanced language processing abilities.
Language skills may be a key mediator of gender differences observed in mathematical performance in children.