Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions
This study examined adults’ frequent, efficient and adaptive use of direct subtraction (DS) and subtraction by addition (SBA) in mental multi-digit subtraction with the choice/no-choice method. Participants were offered subtractions in one choice condition (choice between DS and SBA) and two no-choi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Insitute for Psychology
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Numerical Cognition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://jnc.psychopen.eu/index.php/jnc/article/view/7271 |
| _version_ | 1797970221763395584 |
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| author | Stijn Van Der Auwera Bert De Smedt Joke Torbeyns Lieven Verschaffel |
| author_facet | Stijn Van Der Auwera Bert De Smedt Joke Torbeyns Lieven Verschaffel |
| author_sort | Stijn Van Der Auwera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examined adults’ frequent, efficient and adaptive use of direct subtraction (DS) and subtraction by addition (SBA) in mental multi-digit subtraction with the choice/no-choice method. Participants were offered subtractions in one choice condition (choice between DS and SBA) and two no-choice conditions (mandatory use of either DS or SBA). SBA was used as frequently as DS in the choice condition. DS was most accurate on subtractions with a large difference (e.g., 502 – 18), while SBA was fastest on subtractions with a small difference (e.g., 903 – 886). In general, participants were adaptive for task characteristics and their personal speed characteristics. We further analyzed task-based adaptivity on an individual level via a Latent Class Analysis. Results showed that two-thirds of the participants were adaptive to task characteristics, and that these adaptive participants were the most proficient in accuracy and speed in the choice condition. We further examined whether executive functions (updating, inhibition, shifting) were related to individual differences in strategy efficiency and task-based adaptivity. In line with our hypothesis, updating was related to strategy efficiency, such that participants with higher updating skills were more accurate. In contrast to our expectations, inhibition and shifting were not related to task-based strategy adaptivity. This study highlights adults’ efficient and adaptive use of arithmetic strategies, and its association with their proficiency and executive functions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e35d32a4f254f77bd4ed9eb1c6ca776 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2363-8761 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T03:14:32Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | PsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Insitute for Psychology |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Numerical Cognition |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e35d32a4f254f77bd4ed9eb1c6ca7762023-01-02T10:45:24ZengPsychOpen GOLD/ Leibniz Insitute for PsychologyJournal of Numerical Cognition2363-87612022-11-018335136610.5964/jnc.7271jnc.7271Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive FunctionsStijn Van Der Auwera0Bert De Smedt1Joke Torbeyns2Lieven Verschaffel3Center for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumParenting and Special Education Research Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumCenter for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumCenter for Instructional Psychology and Technology, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumThis study examined adults’ frequent, efficient and adaptive use of direct subtraction (DS) and subtraction by addition (SBA) in mental multi-digit subtraction with the choice/no-choice method. Participants were offered subtractions in one choice condition (choice between DS and SBA) and two no-choice conditions (mandatory use of either DS or SBA). SBA was used as frequently as DS in the choice condition. DS was most accurate on subtractions with a large difference (e.g., 502 – 18), while SBA was fastest on subtractions with a small difference (e.g., 903 – 886). In general, participants were adaptive for task characteristics and their personal speed characteristics. We further analyzed task-based adaptivity on an individual level via a Latent Class Analysis. Results showed that two-thirds of the participants were adaptive to task characteristics, and that these adaptive participants were the most proficient in accuracy and speed in the choice condition. We further examined whether executive functions (updating, inhibition, shifting) were related to individual differences in strategy efficiency and task-based adaptivity. In line with our hypothesis, updating was related to strategy efficiency, such that participants with higher updating skills were more accurate. In contrast to our expectations, inhibition and shifting were not related to task-based strategy adaptivity. This study highlights adults’ efficient and adaptive use of arithmetic strategies, and its association with their proficiency and executive functions.https://jnc.psychopen.eu/index.php/jnc/article/view/7271subtraction by additionmental multi-digit subtractionchoice/no-choice methodstrategy adaptivitytask proficiencyexecutive functions |
| spellingShingle | Stijn Van Der Auwera Bert De Smedt Joke Torbeyns Lieven Verschaffel Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions Journal of Numerical Cognition subtraction by addition mental multi-digit subtraction choice/no-choice method strategy adaptivity task proficiency executive functions |
| title | Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions |
| title_full | Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions |
| title_fullStr | Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions |
| title_short | Adults’ Use of Subtraction by Addition and its Association With Executive Functions |
| title_sort | adults use of subtraction by addition and its association with executive functions |
| topic | subtraction by addition mental multi-digit subtraction choice/no-choice method strategy adaptivity task proficiency executive functions |
| url | https://jnc.psychopen.eu/index.php/jnc/article/view/7271 |
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