The Relationship between Working Memory and Arithmetic in Primary School Children: A Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Working memory (WM) is essential for developing arithmetic abilities.
• Previous research on factors influencing the WM-arithmetic relationship shows inconsistencies.
• Understanding these moderating factors is key for educational interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis on the relationship between working memory and arithmetic skills in primary school children.
• To investigate how WM domains (verbal, visual, spatial), child age, arithmetic operation type, and task type moderate this relationship.
• To synthesize findings from multiple studies to clarify the complex interplay between WM and arithmetic.

Main Methods:

• A meta-analysis was performed on 46 studies comprising 55 independent samples.
• Included 11,224 participants aged 6 to 12 years.
• Analyzed 187 effect sizes to determine correlations and heterogeneity.

Main Results:

• A significant medium correlation was found between working memory and arithmetic skills.
• Verbal WM demonstrated a stronger association with arithmetic than visuospatial WM.
• Correlations between verbal WM and arithmetic decreased with age, while spatial WM correlations remained stable.

Conclusions:

• Working memory domains, child age, and arithmetic operation types significantly moderate the WM-arithmetic relationship.
• Verbal working memory plays a particularly significant role in primary school children's arithmetic ability.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering specific WM components in educational contexts.