Spatial complexity of character-based writing systems and arithmetic in primary school: a longitudinal study.
Maja Rodic, Tatiana Tikhomirova, Tatiana Kolienko, Sergey Malykh, Olga Bogdanova, Dina Y Zueva, Elena I Gynku, Sirui Wan, Xinlin Zhou, Yulia Kovas
Author Information
Maja Rodic: InLab, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London London, UK ; Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Tatiana Tikhomirova: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia ; Institute of Psychology, Russian Academy of Sciences Moscow, Russia.
Tatiana Kolienko: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Sergey Malykh: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia ; Psychological Institute, Russian Academy of Education Moscow, Russia.
Olga Bogdanova: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Dina Y Zueva: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Elena I Gynku: Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Sirui Wan: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Department of Psychology, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China.
Xinlin Zhou: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, Department of Psychology, Beijing Normal University Beijing, China.
Yulia Kovas: InLab, Department of Psychology, Goldsmiths, University of London London, UK ; Laboratory for Cognitive Investigations and Behavioral Genetics, Department of Psychology, Tomsk State University Tomsk, Russia.
Previous research has consistently found an association between spatial and mathematical abilities. We hypothesized that this link may partially explain the consistently observed advantage in mathematics demonstrated by East Asian children. Spatial complexity of the character-based writing systems may reflect or lead to a cognitive advantage relevant to mathematics. Seven hundered and twenty one 6-9-year old children from the UK and Russia were assessed on a battery of cognitive skills and arithmetic. The Russian children were recruited from specialist linguistic schools and divided into four different language groups, based on the second language they were learning (i.e., English, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese). The UK children attended regular schools and were not learning any second language. The testing took place twice across the school year, once at the beginning, before the start of the second language acquisition, and once at the end of the year. The study had two aims: (1) to test whether spatial ability predicts mathematical ability in 7-9 year-old children across the samples; (2) to test whether acquisition and usage of a character-based writing system leads to an advantage in performance in arithmetic and related cognitive tasks. The longitudinal link from spatial ability to mathematics was found only in the Russian sample. The effect of second language acquisition on mathematics or other cognitive skills was negligible, although some effect of Chinese language on mathematical reasoning was suggested. Overall, the findings suggest that although spatial ability is related to mathematics at this age, one academic year of exposure to spatially complex writing systems is not enough to provide a mathematical advantage. Other educational and socio-cultural factors might play a greater role in explaining individual and cross-cultural differences in arithmetic at this age.
