Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 27, 2026
10:58
Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics BM-PROMA
Published on: August 28, 2021
5.0K
Cognitive interference in the learning of multiplication facts.
Joanne Eaves1, Camilla Gilmore1, Lucy Cragg2
1Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University.
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|February 26, 2026
Summary
Interference between multiplication facts emerges early during learning and persists even with practice. This suggests inhibitory control is crucial for mastering new math facts.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Educational Psychology
- Mathematics Education
Background:
- Multiplication fact fluency is foundational for advanced mathematics.
- Number facts are stored in associative networks, leading to potential interference between similar facts.
- Current models explain skilled retrieval but not the development of interference during learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence and persistence of interference during the learning of new multiplication facts.
- To examine the role of inhibitory control in multiplication fact acquisition.
Main Methods:
- A preregistered study tracked adults learning new multiplication facts.
- Interference between facts was monitored throughout the learning process.
Main Results:
- Interference was observed to emerge early in the learning process.
- Interference did not decrease with continued learning or practice, even with high retrieval accuracy.
Conclusions:
- Interference in multiplication fact learning develops early and is persistent.
- Findings support associative network models (Ashcraft, Campbell, De Visscher et al.) over others (Verguts and Fias).
- Highlights the importance of understanding interference for effective mathematics instruction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:16Interference and Decay
523
Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...
523
01:21Forgetting
452
Forgetting is an intrinsic aspect of human memory, characterized by the gradual loss or inaccessibility of information over time. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, extensively studied this phenomenon and formulated the forgetting curve. This curve illustrates that memory loss occurs rapidly immediately after learning and then decelerates over time. Several mechanisms contribute to forgetting, including encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure, and interference.
Encoding...
Encoding...
452
02:09Stereotype Threat and Self-fulfilling Prophecies
42.8K
When we hold a stereotype about a person, we have expectations that he or she will fulfill that stereotype. A self-fulfilling prophecy is an expectation held by a person that alters his or her behavior in a way that tends to make it true. When we hold stereotypes about a person, we tend to treat the person according to our expectations. This treatment can influence the person to act according to our stereotypic expectations, thus confirming our stereotypic beliefs. Research by Rosenthal and...
42.8K
01:25Learning Disabilities
656
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
656
01:12Chunking
459
Chunking is a powerful cognitive technique that improves short-term memory retention by organizing information into smaller, more manageable units. The brain, limited by working memory capacity, can more easily process and store information when it is divided into "chunks" rather than presented as discrete, unrelated elements. Chunking is especially useful when dealing with large amounts of information, such as numerical sequences, words, or complex ideas.
The principle behind chunking...
The principle behind chunking...
459
01:30Impact of Schemas
236
Schemas are cognitive structures that provide a framework for interpreting and organizing social information. They help individuals navigate complex environments by offering expectations about people, events, and behaviors. Schemas influence attention, encoding, and retrieval processes, thereby shaping the entire trajectory of information processing in social contexts.Attention and Cognitive LoadDuring initial attention, schemas function as filters that prioritize schema-consistent information,...
236