The relationship between math anxiety and math performance: The moderating role of visuospatial working memory

Working memory (WM) is one of the most important cognitive functions that may play a role in the relation between math anxiety (MA) and math performance. The processing efficiency theory proposes that rumination and worrisome thoughts (induced by MA) result in less available WM resources (which are needed to solve math problems). At the same time, high MA individuals have lower verbal and spatial WM capacity in general. Extending these findings, we found that MA is also linked to the spatial coding of serial order in verbal WM: subjects who organize sequences from left-to-right in verbal WM show lower levels of MA compared with those who do not spatialize. Furthermore, these spatial coders have higher verbal WM capacity, better numerical order judgment abilities, and higher math scores. These findings suggest that spatially structuring the verbal mind is a promising cognitive correlate of MA and opens new avenues for exploring causal links between elementary cognitive processes and MA.

The attentional control theory posits that anxiety may shift attention towards threatening stimuli and/or affect general attentional control mechanisms. The spatial theory suggests that mathematical anxiety (MA) originates from weakness in spatial processing mechanisms such as visuospatial working memory. Accordingly, MA may negatively influence (1) attentional mechanisms in anxious states and/or (2) general attentional control or working memory mechanisms. The current study examined the associations between MA, attention mechanisms, and working memory. To this end, we validated a new set of math-related pictures and used a math-related modified version of a flanker task. Two groups of college students with low (N = 35) and high (N = 31) MA were asked to perform a central task and ignore math-related and neutral distracting pictures. After we controlled for general anxiety, participants with high MA exhibited a larger location congruency effect in the modified flanker task. Moreover, visuospatial short-term and working memory fully mediated the relationship between MA and performances. These results suggest that general visuospatial deficits constitute the main difficulty among individuals with MA. Taken together, the findings shed light on the unique difficulty of individuals with HMA ignoring distraction, and suggest that reduced visuospatial abilities are at the basis of this difficulty. These findings are discussed in the context of their theoretical and treatment-related potential implications.

Rational number understanding is a critical building block for success in more advanced mathematics; however, how rational number magnitudes are conceptualized is not fully understood. In the current study, we used a dual-task working memory (WM) interference paradigm to investigate the dominant type of strategy (i.e., requiring verbal WM resources vs. requiring primarily visuospatial WM resources) used by adults when processing rational number magnitudes presented in both decimal and fraction notation. Analyses revealed no significant differences in involvement of verbal and visuospatial WM, regardless of notation (fractions vs. decimals), indicating that adults rely upon a mix of strategies and WM resources when processing rational number magnitudes. However, this pattern interacted with algebra ability such that those performing better on the algebra assessment relied upon both verbal and visuospatial WM when engaging in rational number comparisons, whereas rational number performance by adults with low algebra fluency was affected only by a simultaneous verbal WM task. Together, results support previous work implicating the involvement of WM resources in rational number processing and is the first study to indicate that the involvement of both verbal and visuospatial WM, as opposed to relying primarily on verbal WM, when processing rational number magnitudes may be indicative of higher mathematical proficiency in the domain of algebra. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

Passive and active visuospatial working memory (VSWM) were investigated in relation to maths performance. The mental rotation task was employed as a measure of active VSWM whereas passive VSWM was investigated using a modified Corsi Blocks task and a matrix pattern task. The Raven Progressive Matrices Test measured fluid intelligence. A total of 128 students, aged 15–16, served as participants. Fluid intelligence and passive VSWM accounted for variance in overall maths performance. Active VSWM exhibited significant correlations with maths measures, but in a series of regression analyses most of its effect was observed to be mediated by fluid intelligence. Different subscores of mathematical skills (geometry, word problems, and mental arithmetic) were accounted for by fluid intelligence and different measures of VSWM. The educational implications of the results are discussed.

IntroductionMath anxiety severely impacts individuals’ learning and future success. However, limited is understood about the profile in East Asian cultures where students genuinely show high‐level math anxiety, despite that they outperform their Western counterparts. Here, we investigate the relation between math anxiety and math achievement in children as young as first and second graders in Taiwan. Further, we evaluate whether intensive exposure to digital game‐based learning in mathematics could ameliorate math anxiety.MethodsThe study first evaluated a group of 159 first and second graders’ math anxiety and its correlation with math performance. Subsequently, a quasi‐experimental design was adopted: 77 of the children continued and participated in multi‐component digital game training targeting enumeration, speeded calculation, and working memory. Post‐assessment was administered afterward for further evaluation of training‐associated effects.ResultsResults confirmed that math anxiety was negatively associated with school math achievement, which assessed numerical knowledge and arithmetic calculation. Furthermore, children's math anxiety was remarkably reduced via digital training in mathematics after 6‐week intensive remediation. Crucially, this math anxiety relief was more prominent in those with high‐level math anxiety. Although the children who underwent the training showed training‐induced math achievement and working memory enhancement, this cognitive improvement appeared to be independent of the math anxiety relief.ConclusionOur findings demonstrate that students can show highly negative emotions and perceptions toward learning even in high‐achieving countries. Auspiciously, the feeling of distress toward learning has the feasibility to be relieved from short‐term intensive training. Our study suggests a new approach of early treatments to emotional disturbance that can lead to permanent consequences in individuals.

Visuospatial working memory assessment using a digital tablet in adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Stronger activation and deactivation in archery experts for differential cognitive strategy in visuospatial working memory processing

The role of verbal and visuospatial working memory in rule-based and information-integration category learning was examined. Previously, Maddox, Ashby, Ing, and Pickering found that a sequentially presented verbal working memory task did not affect information-integration learning, but disrupted rule-based learning when the rule was on the spatial frequency of a Gabor stimulus. This pattern was replicated in Experiment 1, in which the same category structures were used, but in which the verbal working memory task was replaced with a visuospatial analog. Experiment 2A examined rule-based learning on an oblique orientation and also found both verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks disrupting learning. Experiment 2B examined rule-based learning on a cardinal orientation and found a minimal effect of the verbal working memory task, but a large effect of the visuospatial working memory task. The conceptual significance of cardinal orientations and the role of visuospatial and verbal working memory in category learning are discussed.

The impact of negative affect on working memory performance is unclear. Visuospatial and verbal working memory are critical in many settings, but may be impaired during exposure to negative stimuli. In Experiment 1, the impact of task-irrelevant negative picture stimuli on verbal compared to visuospatial working memory performance was investigated. Unexpectedly, visuospatial memory performance was superior for trials containing negative stimuli than trials with neutral stimuli. The impact of negative picture stimuli on visuospatial working memory was further examined in Experiment 2. Performance was again superior for negative stimuli relative to neutral stimuli. While much previous research has reported that negative affect is disruptive of visuospatial working memory, the improved performance found here is consistent with other research particularly where negative or arousing stimuli are thought to increase the pool of available processing resources or effort. Implications for contexts where working memory demands occur alongside distressing stimuli are discussed, as well as future research suggestions.

L’entraînement de la mémoire de travail par le programme Cogmed et le TDAH

Math anxiety (MA) is considered the sign of declination of math performance (MP) of students. However, the reasons behind this are still uncertain. The objective of the current state of the art review research was to inspect the connection between MA and MP under various factors and theories at the school level. A total of 158 full-text studies were chosen by ensuring the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Moderation studies revealed that the link between MA and MP was changed differently depending on the complexity of mathematical assignments, the dimensions of MA, and the impacts on students’ grades. MA evaluated with affective and cognitive dimensions under various theories indicated an adverse relationship with MP. When MA is associated with fundamental mathematical activities, advanced mathematical tasks that demand multiple steps to solve revealed a higher adverse relationship with math anxiety. Furthermore, practical and theoretical aspects of the findings of the study are also discussed.

Objective Many studies report a deficit in working memory in children with Developmental Dyslexia (DD) and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) compared to children with Typical Development (TD). In this study, we questioned the working memory profile of children with co-occurring Developmental Dyslexia and Developmental Coordination Disorder (DD-DCD). First, we hypothesized that children with DD would have a more substantial deficit in verbal working memory, while children with DCD would have a more substantial deficit in visuospatial working memory. For the comorbid group, we postulated a deficit in both the verbal and visuospatial domains. Second, we determined whether we could correctly distinguish between the four groups based on their working memory profiles. Method 47 children with DD, 22 children with DCD, 27 children with DD-DCD, and 42 TD children aged from 7.6 to 12.6 years were tested on the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketchpad, and the central executive using the Digit Span and Wechsler’s Block-tapping tests. Results Children with DD had a deficit in verbal working memory including a specific deficit in the phonological loop and children with DCD had a deficit in visuospatial working memory. Comorbid children had poorer performance in verbal working memory (like group with DD) and in visuospatial working memory (like group with DCD). Exploratory cluster analysis resulted in four subgroups: (1) one cluster with good working memory performance made up of most of the TD children; (2) one cluster with a phonological loop deficit mainly made up of the children with DD; (3) one cluster with poor visuospatial working memory capacities mostly made up of the children with DCD (± DD) and (4) one cluster with average performance made up of children from all the groups. Conclusion Our results underline the importance of taking comorbidity into account when testing working memory in children with learning disabilities.

Mathematics anxiety and mathematical calculation in deaf children: A moderated mediation model of mathematics self-efficacy and intelligence

Objective: The relationship between working memory (WM) and objectively measured motor activity was examined in adults with ADHD and healthy controls (HCs). Method: Thirty-five adults (ADHD = 20, HC = 15) were grouped using self-report and collateral-report measures in addition to a semistructured clinical interview. All participants completed control conditions with minimal WM demands, and separate phonological (PH) and visuospatial (VS) WM tasks with recall demands ranging from four to seven stimuli. Results: The ADHD group exhibited significantly more motor activity relative to the HC group, and both groups exhibited greater activity during PH and VS WM tasks, relative to control conditions. Finally, the central executive (CE) and PH storage/rehearsal subsystems were associated with large-magnitude between-group differences in activity. Conclusion: Findings suggest that increased demands on WM, particularly the CE and PH storage/rehearsal, contribute to ADHD-related hyperactivity, though a portion of excessive motor activity in adults with ADHD may occur independently of WM demands.

Maths anxiety has been of great concern for many educators and educational policymakers because of its adverse effects on students’ maths performance and career path. Various empirical studies have been conducted to explore the factors predicting maths anxiety, and they have typically been based on a limited set of pre-specified variables, such as maths performance and student self-concept. However, to fully grasp the nature of maths anxiety, an exploratory study based on more elaborate prediction models using a wider variety of variables can also benefit educators. To explore the important predictors of maths anxiety and examine the possibility of achieving an acceptable level of prediction accuracy, this study employed the random forest algorithm, logistic regression, and the hierarchical general linear model to build prediction models for maths anxiety based on 194 variables collected from PISA student questionnaires. Among the factors predicting maths anxiety, enjoying maths, self-concept, and attributions to failure were revealed as being the most significant predictors. Confidence in oneself, persistent behavioural characteristics, and pressures from parents or teachers were also selected as important predictors. Educational implications are drawn from the findings of this study, and the advantages and drawbacks of each prediction model are discussed.