Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults
Many individuals, when faced with mathematical tasks or situations requiring arithmetic skills, experience exaggerated levels of anxiety. Mathematical anxiety (MA), in addition to causing discomfort, can lead to avoidance behaviors and then to underachievement. However, the factors inducing MA and h...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-03-01
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| Series: | Brain Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/422 |
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| author | Paula A. Maldonado Moscoso Elisa Castaldi Roberto Arrighi Caterina Primi Camilla Caponi Salvatore Buonincontro Francesca Bolognini Giovanni Anobile |
| author_facet | Paula A. Maldonado Moscoso Elisa Castaldi Roberto Arrighi Caterina Primi Camilla Caponi Salvatore Buonincontro Francesca Bolognini Giovanni Anobile |
| author_sort | Paula A. Maldonado Moscoso |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Many individuals, when faced with mathematical tasks or situations requiring arithmetic skills, experience exaggerated levels of anxiety. Mathematical anxiety (MA), in addition to causing discomfort, can lead to avoidance behaviors and then to underachievement. However, the factors inducing MA and how MA deploys its detrimental effects are still largely debated. There is evidence suggesting that MA affects working memory capacity by further diminishing its limited processing resources. An alternative account postulates that MA originates from a coarse early numerical cognition capacity, the perception of numerosity. In the current study, we measured MA, math abilities, numerosity perception and visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) in a sample of neurotypical adults. Correlational analyses confirmed previous studies showing that high MA was associated with lower math scores and worse numerosity estimation precision. Conversely, MA turned out to be unrelated to VSWM capacities. Finally, partial correlations revealed that MA fully accounted for the relationship between numerosity estimation precision and math abilities, suggesting a key role for MA as a mediating factor between these two domains. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:05:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e6d16ee53ccb42eaa52af4bde3ed86be |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:05:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brain Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-e6d16ee53ccb42eaa52af4bde3ed86be2023-12-01T00:58:50ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252022-03-0112442210.3390/brainsci12040422Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in AdultsPaula A. Maldonado Moscoso0Elisa Castaldi1Roberto Arrighi2Caterina Primi3Camilla Caponi4Salvatore Buonincontro5Francesca Bolognini6Giovanni Anobile7Institute of Neuroscience CNR, 50124 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, 50135 Florence, ItalyMany individuals, when faced with mathematical tasks or situations requiring arithmetic skills, experience exaggerated levels of anxiety. Mathematical anxiety (MA), in addition to causing discomfort, can lead to avoidance behaviors and then to underachievement. However, the factors inducing MA and how MA deploys its detrimental effects are still largely debated. There is evidence suggesting that MA affects working memory capacity by further diminishing its limited processing resources. An alternative account postulates that MA originates from a coarse early numerical cognition capacity, the perception of numerosity. In the current study, we measured MA, math abilities, numerosity perception and visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) in a sample of neurotypical adults. Correlational analyses confirmed previous studies showing that high MA was associated with lower math scores and worse numerosity estimation precision. Conversely, MA turned out to be unrelated to VSWM capacities. Finally, partial correlations revealed that MA fully accounted for the relationship between numerosity estimation precision and math abilities, suggesting a key role for MA as a mediating factor between these two domains.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/422approximate number system (ANS)math anxietymath abilitiescalculationvisuo-spatial working memory |
| spellingShingle | Paula A. Maldonado Moscoso Elisa Castaldi Roberto Arrighi Caterina Primi Camilla Caponi Salvatore Buonincontro Francesca Bolognini Giovanni Anobile Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults Brain Sciences approximate number system (ANS) math anxiety math abilities calculation visuo-spatial working memory |
| title | Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults |
| title_full | Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults |
| title_fullStr | Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults |
| title_short | Mathematics and Numerosity but Not Visuo-Spatial Working Memory Correlate with Mathematical Anxiety in Adults |
| title_sort | mathematics and numerosity but not visuo spatial working memory correlate with mathematical anxiety in adults |
| topic | approximate number system (ANS) math anxiety math abilities calculation visuo-spatial working memory |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/12/4/422 |
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