Profiles of preschoolers' numerical abilities across quantity representations

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Early numerical abilities are critical for later mathematical learning.
• Quantity representation (nonsymbolic, symbolic) influences numerical reasoning.
• Previous research often used variable-centered approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate heterogeneity in preschoolers' numerical abilities across different representation types.
• Identify distinct numerical ability profiles using a person-centered approach.
• Examine if preschool profiles predict kindergarten math achievement.

Main Methods:

• Latent profile analysis applied to U.S. preschoolers (N=200, mean age=4.5 years).
• Assessed numerical abilities across nonsymbolic, verbal symbolic, and written symbolic representations.
• Tracked participants' math achievement in kindergarten.

Main Results:

• Identified four distinct preschool number ability profiles: consistently low, consistently high, intermediate with nonsymbolic advantage, and intermediate with verbal symbolic advantage.
• Consistently low and high profiles predicted lower and higher kindergarten math achievement, respectively.
• The two intermediate profiles showed similar kindergarten math achievement.

Conclusions:

• Preschool numerical ability exhibits heterogeneity across quantity representations.
• Proficiency in either nonsymbolic or verbal number representations can support future math achievement.
• A person-centered approach reveals distinct developmental trajectories in early numerical cognition.