Poster #15 - Inhibitory control and the neural correlates of science and mathematics counterintuitive reasoning in children

• In Event: 1-169 - Poster Session 04
  In Poster Session: PS 04 Section - Biological Processes: Neuroscience and Genetics

Integrative Statement

Recent evidence suggests that when learning new scientific concepts, adults suppress previous misconceptions using inhibitory control. For instance, adult physics experts activate brain areas associated with inhibitory control (namely the prefrontal cortex) to a greater degree than novices when correctly judging physics misconceptions. However, the degree to which inhibitory control could lead to better science and mathematics learning during development remains under-investigated, and previous studies have tended to focus on single misconceptions (e.g., fractions, electrical circuits), rather than the broad range of misconceptions associated with the science and mathematics primary and secondary school curriculum. The present study first aimed to assess the neural correlates of science and mathematics counterintuitive science and mathematics reasoning in primary school children. The second aim was to investigate whether, during counterintuitive reasoning, the suppression of perceptually irrelevant information and intuitive concepts involves the activation of inhibitory control circuits. Participants from Grade 2 (aged 7-8 years old) and Grade 4 (aged 9-10 years old) were recruited as part of the UnLocke project (www.unlocke.org), which assesses the impact of a classroom intervention encouraging children to “Stop and Think” when resolving science and mathematics problems. Fifty-six children responded to questions involving science and mathematics misconceptions and performed semantic (Animal stroop) and response inhibition (Go/No-go) tasks while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning. Large fronto-parietal activation was observed when children resolved counterintuive science and mathematics problems, with very similar activations in Grade 2 and Grade 4 children. This pattern of activation overlapped with with the activation observed for both inhibitory control tasks, which demonstrates that similar neural mechanisms are recruited during inhibitory control and counterintuitive science and mathematics reasoning. These findings indicate that engagement of inhibitory control circuits are associated with evaluating complex problems in mathematics and science domains during early academic learning, and suggest that there is continuity between the functional neural circuits recruited during scientific reasoning in primary-aged children and adults.

Authors

• Dilini Sumanapala, Birkbeck University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Hannah R Smith, Birkbeck University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Claire R Smid, Birkbeck University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Emily K. Farran, University College London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michael S. C. Thomas, University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Iroise Dumontheil, University of London
  Non-Presenting Author

• Denis Mareschal, Birkbeck, University of London
  Presenting Author