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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 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

The relationship between learning mathematics and general cognitive ability in primary school.

Richard Cowan¹, Jane Hurry¹, Emily Midouhas¹

¹Psychology and Human Development, UCL Institute of Education, London, UK.

The British Journal of Developmental Psychology

|August 13, 2017

Summary

Mathematical and general cognitive abilities develop together in children. This study shows that improvements in math skills boost cognitive abilities, and better cognitive skills enhance math learning between ages 7 and 10.

Keywords:

general cognitive ability mathematics learning primary school

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Area of Science:

Developmental Psychology
Educational Psychology
Cognitive Science

Background:

Correlations between mathematical attainment, literacy, and general cognitive skills are established.
The role of literacy in general cognitive skill development is an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between mathematical ability and general cognitive ability in children.
To test three hypotheses: educational, psychometric, and reciprocal influence.
To examine the influence of English skills on general cognitive ability.

Main Methods:

Longitudinal study using a sample of 948 children from the Twins Early Development Study.
Cross-lagged path analysis assessing mathematics, English, and general cognitive ability at ages 7, 9, and 10.
Statistical modeling to evaluate reciprocal influence between cognitive and academic skills.

Main Results:

Evidence supports the reciprocal influence hypothesis between mathematical ability and general cognitive ability from ages 7 to 10.
A reciprocal relationship was also observed between English skills and general cognitive ability between ages 7 and 9.
Mathematics contributes to the development of general cognitive skills, and vice versa.

Conclusions:

Mathematical development and general cognitive ability show a reciprocal influence in childhood.
Cognitive skills and academic abilities, including math and English, are interconnected and mutually develop.
Findings support a dynamic interplay between learning mathematics and cognitive development.