The Roles of Working Memory and Problem Difficulty in Multiplication in Elementary Students

• In Event: Mathematical Cognition: Strategies, Working Memory, and Representations

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore how subcomponents of working memory, including phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and central executive, were involved in multiplication processing in fourth graders, with consideration of problem difficulty effect. When students were completing multiplication tasks while responding to working memory tasks, central executive task appeared to have the most interfering effect, followed by visuospatial sketchpad, phonological loop, and control condition. Students performed faster and more accurately on less difficult problems. The main effects of working memory conditions and problem difficulty were significant for both accuracy and reaction time. The interaction effect between them was significant for reaction time only. The findings support that working memory is more involved in tasks requiring difficult problem solving.

Authors

• Yi Ding, Fordham University

• Ru-de Liu, Beijing Normal University

• Bing-Cheng Gao

• Dake Zhang, Rutgers University