Temporal cortex activation explains children's improvement in math attitudes

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Math attitudes correlate with academic achievement.
• The neural mechanisms underlying changes in math attitudes are not well understood.
• Longitudinal studies are needed to explore the relationship between brain function and math attitude development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural correlates of math attitudes in children.
• To examine how brain activity relates to math attitudes and their changes over time.
• To identify brain regions supporting the development of positive math attitudes.

Main Methods:

• Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to scan 51 children.
• Children completed a multiplication task at two time points (ages 11 and 13).
• Brain activity in the left middle to superior temporal gyri was analyzed in relation to math attitudes.

Main Results:

• Brain clusters in the left middle to superior temporal gyri at age 11 were associated with math attitudes at that time.
• These brain clusters also correlated with longitudinal improvements in math attitudes.
• No significant association was found between changes in attitudes and changes in brain activity over time.

Conclusions:

• Neural activity in specific temporal gyri regions at age 11 is linked to math attitudes and their improvement.
• The findings suggest that the retrieval of arithmetic facts from memory plays a role in fostering positive math attitudes.
• Future research should explore interventions targeting memory retrieval to enhance math attitudes.