Verbal and visual short-term memory predict performance in a multiplication production task: Evidence from a...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Simple multiplication relies on various cognitive functions, including short-term memory (STM).
• Previous research on the link between STM and multiplication performance shows inconsistent results, possibly due to individual differences in math abilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between visual and verbal STM and simple multiplication solving in a large Malaysian adult sample.
• To explore how problem characteristics like interference and size moderate these relationships.

Main Methods:

• A large sample of 230 Malaysian adults (ages 17-42) completed an online multiplication task and STM assessments (verbal and visuospatial).
• Data were analyzed using a mixed-model approach.

Main Results:

• Both verbal and visual STM significantly predicted multiplication performance.
• Participants with lower STM spans exhibited longer reaction times in multiplication tasks.
• Verbal STM's impact was greater for high-interference problems, while visual STM's benefit increased with larger problem sizes.

Conclusions:

• Verbal and visual STM play distinct roles in simple multiplication, interacting with problem features like interference and size.
• These findings enhance our understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying arithmetic processing.