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 Concept Videos

Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

95
The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is...
95
Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

411
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
411
Arithmetic Mean01:08

Arithmetic Mean

14.9K
The arithmetic mean is the most commonly used measure of the central tendency of a data set. It is defined as the sum of all the elements constituting the data set, divided by the total number of elements. It is sometimes loosely referred to as the “average.”
When all the values in a data set are not unique, the sum in the numerator can be calculated by multiplying each distinct value by its frequency.
Sometimes, the arithmetic mean of a sample can be affected by a few data points...
14.9K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Mind-wandering in China and the UK: evidence of cross-cultural consistency.

Frontiers in psychology·2026
Same author

From spatial construction to mathematics: Exploring the mediating role of visuospatial working memory.

Developmental psychology·2025
Same author

The deleterious effect of WHO grade II diffuse glioma on socioeconomic status as evaluated through occupation.

Scientific reports·2025
Same author

The Role of Mind Wandering During Incubation in Divergent and Convergent Creative Thinking.

Brain sciences·2025
Same author

The impact of spaced learning within physics lessons in secondary schools.

PloS one·2025
Same author

Revisiting working memory 50 years after Baddeley and Hitch: A review of field-specific conceptualisations, use and misuse, and paths forward for studying children.

Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006)·2024

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2025

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics BM-PROMA
10:58

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

Published on: August 28, 2021

4.6K

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

Yuxin Zhang1, Andrew Tolmie1, Rebecca Gordon1

  • 1UCL Institute of Education, London WC1H 0AL, UK.

Brain Sciences
|January 21, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Working memory (WM) is vital for arithmetic skills in children. This meta-analysis reveals verbal WM is most crucial, with its impact varying by age and operation type.

Keywords:
arithmeticmental arithmeticmeta-analysisoperation typeverbal working memoryvisuospatial working memoryworking memoryworking memory domainwritten arithmetic

More Related Videos

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)
09:05

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

29.8K
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
07:01

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

4.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 13, 2025

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics BM-PROMA
10:58

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

Published on: August 28, 2021

4.6K
Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)
09:05

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

29.8K
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
07:01

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

4.8K

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.