Numerical precision or inhibitory control? Exploring latent profiles in preschoolers' numerosity judgments

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Development
• Numerical Cognition
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Individual differences in children's non-symbolic numerosity comparison are significant.
• Previous research attributed variability to numerical precision or inhibitory control, yielding conflicting results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate distinct cognitive profiles underlying individual differences in preschoolers' numerosity comparison.
• To examine if children rely differently on numerical versus non-numerical cues.

Main Methods:

• 256 preschoolers completed a dot comparison task.
• Confirmatory Factor Analysis confirmed a multidimensional model of numerical precision and inhibitory control.
• Latent Profile Analysis identified distinct subgroups based on performance.

Main Results:

• Three distinct profiles emerged: (1) high precision/high control (N=119), (2) high precision/low control (N=40), (3) low precision (N=97).
• The congruency effect was significant only in the high precision/low control group.
• Low numerical precision was associated with poor performance across conditions.

Conclusions:

• Individual variability in numerosity comparison is explained by distinct cognitive profiles, not just single factors.
• Findings integrate prior research by demonstrating that differences can stem from numerical precision or inhibitory control.
• This research aids in identifying specific cognitive challenges in numerosity perception for young children.