Temporal cortex activation explains children’s improvement in math attitudes

Abstract

Math attitudes are related to achievement, yet we do not know how the brain supports changes in math attitudes. 51 children (54.9% female, 45.1% male; 37.3% White, 33.3% Black, 11.8% Latino, 5.9% Asian, 11.8% Other) solved a multiplication task inside the scanner when they were approximately 11 (time 1; T1) and 13 (time 2; T2) years old (i.e., mean age). Results revealed clusters in the left middle to superior temporal gyri at T1 associated with math attitudes at T1 and with their longitudinal improvement. However, changes in attitudes were not associated with brain changes over time. These findings suggest that relying on the storage of arithmetic facts, involved in memory retrieval, explains the development of positive math attitudes.

Arithmetic skills are associated with left fronto-temporal gray matter volume in 536 children and adolescents

“…For example, it has been suggested that, in addition to the left AG, the left middle temporal gyrus (MTG) might critically support the retrieval of solutions from memory given its role in phonological processing 8 . This idea is supported by several studies that have demonstrated that the left MTG is involved when participants are presented with problems that have been learned by rote in school, such as single-digit multiplication 9 – 11 . Studies also implicate regions of the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG), particularly when calculation becomes more demanding and taxes verbal working memory 9 , 10 , 12 .…”

Instability, changes, and internal structure of children's attitudes toward mathematics in primary school: A four‐wave investigation

“…Although no consensus has been reached on the definition of mathematical attitudes due to their diversity or limitations, attitudes toward mathematics have been recognized as modifiable mental states, depending on the purpose of research and the instrument employed (Suárez‐Pellicioni et al., 2021). Current research defines math attitudes as “beliefs about liking or disliking mathematics, beliefs about being good or bad at mathematics, beliefs about the usefulness or uselessness of mathematics, and the tendency to engage in or avoid mathematical activities” (Neale, 1969, p. 632), which corresponds to four components of the scale “enjoyment in mathematics, confidence in mathematics, value of mathematics, and motivation for mathematics” (Lim & Chapman, 2013, p. 146; Lin & Huang, 2016; Suárez‐Pellicioni & Booth, 2022). Math confidence, as self‐perceived math competency, refers to “confidence in self‐ability to learn and perform well on math tasks” and is used interchangeably with self‐concept, self‐efficacy, and competence beliefs (Casey & Ganley, 2021, p. 7).…”

Arithmetic skills are associated with grey matter volume in the left inferior frontal gyrus: A brain-wide association study with 536 children and adolescents

“…These notably include regions of the left hemisphere that have been linked to linguistic processing, such as the angular gyrus (AG) [7][8][9][10] , middle and superior temporal gyrus (MTG and STG) [11][12][13][14][15] , and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) 11,13,16,17 . Interestingly, the involvement of these language-related regions appears to increase when problems have been learned by rote (e.g., single-digit multiplication) 11,13 or are reported as retrieved from memory 18 .…”