The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study
The representation format of math problems can manifest dissimilarly in people with varying levels of math performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the neurocognitive underpinnings of two-digit exact calculation tasks in different formats: numerical and word. Fifty-three students were...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Association for the Development of Science, Engineering and Education
2023-04-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://ijcrsee.com/index.php/ijcrsee/article/view/2206 |
| _version_ | 1827963817719496704 |
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| author | Maria A. Sitnikova Julia A. Marakshina Timofey V. Adamovich Grigory O. Pronin Rustam G. Asadullaev |
| author_facet | Maria A. Sitnikova Julia A. Marakshina Timofey V. Adamovich Grigory O. Pronin Rustam G. Asadullaev |
| author_sort | Maria A. Sitnikova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
The representation format of math problems can manifest dissimilarly in people with varying levels of math performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the neurocognitive underpinnings of two-digit exact calculation tasks in different formats: numerical and word. Fifty-three students were divided into groups with high and low levels of math performance based on their ability to solve math problems. They were asked to calculate addition problems with two-digit numbers and to read math problems that did not require calculations. Brain activation was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). General linear model (GLM) analysis revealed that reading math problems without calculation led to increased activation in the inferior temporal and fusiform gyri in a group of high-level performers, while a group of low-level performers demonstrated increased activation in Broca’s area and the inferior frontal gyrus in the same experimental condition, as well as during solving arithmetic problems in a word format of the exact calculation task. Analysis after bootstrapping revealed similar activation patterns in both groups. Both domain-specific and domain-general regions of the frontal and parietal brain areas were involved in the calculations. Right and left hemisphere activation was found both in low and high math performers. Comparing experimental conditions with resting state revealed significant activation in Broca’s area in all conditions in a group of high-level performers and in a word format of arithmetic problems in a group of low-level performers. Thus, the observed brain patterns suggest the involvement of complex sentence comprehension, especially in high-performing students. These results could be used in future to improve educational practice for students with varying levels of math competence.
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| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:05:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e97bd2289614bce90538bea24b67761 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2334-8496 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:05:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Association for the Development of Science, Engineering and Education |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e97bd2289614bce90538bea24b677612023-04-20T15:36:03ZengAssociation for the Development of Science, Engineering and EducationInternational Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education2334-84962023-04-0111110.23947/2334-8496-2023-11-1-93-114The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS StudyMaria A. Sitnikova0Julia A. Marakshina1Timofey V. Adamovich2Grigory O. Pronin3Rustam G. Asadullaev4Research and Project Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurotechnologies, Belgorod National Research University, Belgorod, RussiaPsychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, RussiaPsychological Institute of Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, RussiaResearch and Project Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurotechnologies, Belgorod National Research University, Belgorod, RussiaResearch and Project Centre for Cognitive Neuroscience and Neurotechnologies, Belgorod National Research University, Belgorod, Russia The representation format of math problems can manifest dissimilarly in people with varying levels of math performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the neurocognitive underpinnings of two-digit exact calculation tasks in different formats: numerical and word. Fifty-three students were divided into groups with high and low levels of math performance based on their ability to solve math problems. They were asked to calculate addition problems with two-digit numbers and to read math problems that did not require calculations. Brain activation was recorded using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). General linear model (GLM) analysis revealed that reading math problems without calculation led to increased activation in the inferior temporal and fusiform gyri in a group of high-level performers, while a group of low-level performers demonstrated increased activation in Broca’s area and the inferior frontal gyrus in the same experimental condition, as well as during solving arithmetic problems in a word format of the exact calculation task. Analysis after bootstrapping revealed similar activation patterns in both groups. Both domain-specific and domain-general regions of the frontal and parietal brain areas were involved in the calculations. Right and left hemisphere activation was found both in low and high math performers. Comparing experimental conditions with resting state revealed significant activation in Broca’s area in all conditions in a group of high-level performers and in a word format of arithmetic problems in a group of low-level performers. Thus, the observed brain patterns suggest the involvement of complex sentence comprehension, especially in high-performing students. These results could be used in future to improve educational practice for students with varying levels of math competence. https://ijcrsee.com/index.php/ijcrsee/article/view/2206exact calculationadditionnumerical formatword formatmath competencefNIRS |
| spellingShingle | Maria A. Sitnikova Julia A. Marakshina Timofey V. Adamovich Grigory O. Pronin Rustam G. Asadullaev The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study International Journal of Cognitive Research in Science, Engineering and Education exact calculation addition numerical format word format math competence fNIRS |
| title | The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study |
| title_full | The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study |
| title_fullStr | The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study |
| title_short | The Neural Correlates of Exact Calculation in Word and Numerical Formats in Low And High Math Performers: A fNIRS Study |
| title_sort | neural correlates of exact calculation in word and numerical formats in low and high math performers a fnirs study |
| topic | exact calculation addition numerical format word format math competence fNIRS |
| url | https://ijcrsee.com/index.php/ijcrsee/article/view/2206 |
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