16 research outputs found
Las variaciones de superficie cortical en la corteza dorsolateral prefrontal predicen mejor el futuro desempeño cognitivo que la inteligencia fluida y la memoria operativa
Are cognitive and biological variables useful for predicting
future behavioral outcomes? Method: In two independent groups, we
measured a set of cognitive (fluid and crystallized intelligence, working
memory, and attention control) and biological (cortical thickness and
cortical surface area) variables on two occasions separated by six months,
to predict behavioral outcomes of interest (performance on an adaptive
version of the n-back task) measured twelve and eighteen months later.
We followed three stages: discovery, validation, and generalization. In
the discovery stage, cognitive/biological variables and the behavioral
outcome of interest were assessed in a group of individuals (in-sample).
In the validation stage, the cognitive and biological variables were related
with a parallel version of the behavioral outcome assessed several months
later. In the generalization stage, the validation findings were tested in
an independent group of individuals (out-of-sample). Results: The key
fi nding revealed that cortical surface area variations within the right
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex predict the behavioral outcome of interest
in both groups, whereas the cognitive variables failed to show reliable
predictive validity. Conclusions: Individual differences in biological
variables might predict future behavioral outcomes better than cognitive
variables concurrently correlated with these behavioral outcomesAntecedentes: ¿Predicen las variables cognitivas
y biológicas el futuro desempeño cognitivo? Método: en dos grupos
independientes de participantes se miden variables cognitivas (inteligencia
fluida y cristalizada, memoria operativa y control atencional) y biológicas
(grosor y superficie cortical) en dos ocasiones separadas por seis meses,
para predecir el desempeño en la tarea n-back valorado doce y dieciocho
meses después. Se completan tres etapas: descubrimiento, validación
y generalización. En la de descubrimiento se valoran en un grupo de
individuos las variables cognitivas/biológicas y el desempeño a predecir.
En la de validación, se relacionan las mismas variables con una versión
paralela de la n-back completada meses después. En la de generalización,
los resultados de la validación se replican en un grupo independiente de
individuos. Resultados: las variaciones de superficie cortical en la corteza
dorsolateral prefrontal derecha predicen el desempeño cognitivo en los dos
grupos independientes de individuos, mientras que las variables cognitivas
no contribuyen a la predicción del desempeño futuro. Conclusiones: las
diferencias individuales en determinadas variables biológicas predicen el
desempeño cognitivo mejor que las variables cognitivas que correlacionan
concurrentemente con ese desempeñoThis project was supported by PSI2017-82218-P (Ministerio de
EconomÃa, Industria y Competitividad, Spain
The influence of home environmental factors on kindergarten children’s addition strategy use
Partial funding for Open Access provided by the UMD Libraries' Open Access Publishing Fund.Young children vary widely in their levels of math knowledge, their abilities
to solve math problems, and the strategies they use to solve math problems.
As much of later math builds on children’s early understanding of basic math
facts and problem-solving strategies, understanding influences on children’s
early problem solving is important. Few studies, however, have examined the
home environment in relation to children’s strategy use during arithmetic
problems. We examined how both structural characteristics of children’s
home environments, such as socioeconomic status (SES), as well as the
learning environment, such as engagement in math and literacy activities at
home, related to their use of problem-solving strategies for numerical addition
problems. Kindergarten children from diverse backgrounds completed a
measure of addition problem solving and strategy use, including simple and
complex numerical problems. Strategies were coded based on a combination
of accuracy and strategy sophistication, with higher scores indicating problems
solved correctly with more sophisticated strategies. Parents completed a
home activities questionnaire, reporting the frequency with which they and
their child had engaged in math and literacy activities at home over the past
month. An exploratory factor analysis identified three components of the
home activities - a basic activities factor, an advanced math activities factor,
and a literacy activities factor. Findings indicated that SES related to children’s
strategy sophistication, and frequency of engaging in advanced math and
literacy activities at home predicted strategy sophistication, however, engaging
in activities at home did not moderate the relations between SES and strategy
sophistication. This suggests that family engagement in activities at home
may promote early arithmetic skills, and that the role of home environmental
characteristics should be considered in children’s arithmetic strategy use and
performance over development.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.102743
Domain-Specific and Domain-General Training to Improve Kindergarten Children’s Mathematics
Ensuring that kindergarten children have a solid foundation in early numerical knowledge is of critical importance for later mathematical achievement. In this study, we targeted improving the numerical knowledge of kindergarteners (n = 81) from primarily low-income backgrounds using two approaches: one targeting their conceptual knowledge, specifically, their understanding of numerical magnitudes; and the other targeting their underlying cognitive system, specifically, their working memory. Both interventions involved playing game-like activities on tablet computers over the course of several sessions. As predicted, both interventions improved children’s numerical magnitude knowledge as compared to a no-contact control group, suggesting that both domain-specific and domain-general interventions facilitate mathematical learning. Individual differences in effort during the working memory game, but not the number knowledge training game predicted children’s improvements in number line estimation. The results demonstrate the potential of using a rapidly growing technology in early childhood classrooms to promote young children’s numerical knowledge
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Cognition under Pressure: Relationships between Anxiety, Executive Functions, and Mathematics
This symposium integrates findings across studies
conducted in both laboratory and classroom contexts to
draw attention to the relationships between Executive
Functions (EFs) and feelings of anxiety in a context with
educational consequences: Mathematics. EFs, the cognitive
resources including working memory and inhibitory control
that enable attentional control, manipulation of mental
representations, and task switching (Miyake et al, 2000),
powerfully predict mathematics achievement (Bull & Lee,
2014). Mathematics is also a domain in which anxiety and
performance pressure are often heightened, which can result
in worry ideation and load to EF resources (Foley et al,
2017; Schmader & Beilock, 2012). However, despite these
relationships, mathematics cognition under pressure remains
under-considered
Gray matter responsiveness to adaptive working memory training: a surface-based morphometry study
Here we analyze gray matter indices before and after completing a challenging adaptive cognitive training program based on the n-back task. The considered gray matter indices were cortical thickness (CT) and cortical surface area (CSA). Twenty-eight young women (age range 17-22 years) completed 24 training sessions over the course of 3 months (12 weeks, 24 sessions), showing expected performance improvements. CT and CSA values for the training group were compared with those of a matched control group. Statistical analyses were computed using a ROI framework defined by brain areas distinguished by their genetic underpinning. The interaction between group and time was analyzed. Middle temporal, ventral frontal, inferior parietal cortices, and pars opercularis were the regions where the training group showed conservation of gray matter with respect to the control group. These regions support working memory, resistance to interference, and inhibition. Furthermore, an interaction with baseline intelligence differences showed that the expected decreasing trend at the biological level for individuals showing relatively low intelligence levels at baseline was attenuated by the completed training
Neural effects of short-term training on working memory
Working memory training has been the focus of intense research interest. Despite accumulating behavioral work, knowledge about the neural mechanisms underlying training effects is scarce. Here we show that seven days of training on an n back task lead to substantial performance improvements in the trained task; furthermore, the experimental group shows cross modal transfer as compared to an active control group. In addition, there are two neural effects that emerged as a function of training: first, increased perfusion during task performance in selected regions, reflecting a neural response to cope with high task demand; second, increased blood flow at rest in regions where training effects were apparent. We also found that perfusion at rest was correlated with task proficiency, probably reflecting an improved neural readiness to perform. Our findings are discussed within the context of the available neuroimaging literature on n back training