Number sense at 12 months predicts 4-year-olds' maths skills

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Preverbal infants possess an innate 'sense of number', also known as the Approximate Number System (ANS).
• Existing research indicates a correlation between ANS and mathematical skills in children.
• Debate exists on whether this correlation is mediated by other cognitive skills like inhibition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the predictive power of the infant ANS on later mathematical achievement.
• To determine if the ANS is a specific predictor of mathematical skills, independent of general intelligence and inhibitory skills.
• To examine the longitudinal relationship between ANS and mathematical abilities from infancy to early childhood.

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study involving 60 infants tested at 12 months for ANS.
• Re-testing of a subset of 40 participants at 4 years for symbolic math achievement, general intelligence, and inhibitory skills.
• Statistical analysis to assess the predictive relationship between infant ANS and later math skills, controlling for confounding factors.

Main Results:

• Infant ANS at 12 months significantly predicted mathematical skills at 4 years.
• This predictive relationship remained significant even after controlling for general intelligence and inhibitory skills.
• The ANS measured at 4 years also correlated with symbolic math skills, reinforcing the enduring link.

Conclusions:

• The Approximate Number System (ANS) is an early and specific foundation for mathematical abilities.
• The relationship between ANS and mathematical skills is direct and long-standing throughout childhood.
• These findings support the view that early numerical cognition plays a crucial role in later mathematical development.