Processing of numerical magnitudes in children with different

levels of mathematics achievement: An ERPs study

BACKGROUND
The ability of humans to represent and
manipulate large numerical magnitudes
in non-symbolic [1] and symbolic [2]
formats has been associated with the
development of mathematical skills.

Participants

45 third-graders comprising three equal groups, each with a different level of mathematical achievement:
Low Achievement (LA), Typical Achievement (TA), High Achievement (TA).
Group

LA (n=15)
M

TA (n=15)

Two numerical ratios 1:2 & 3:4

Symbolic

(SD) M

(SD) M

(SD)

400 ms

F (2,42 )

p
1000 ms

Age (in months)

106.5

8.9

104.8

8.4

110.5

4.5

2.25

.128

WRAT

77.3

6.2

100.5

4.5

126.4

10.3

164.45

.000 a

IQ (WISC-IV)

100.0

6.5

110.3

10.1 111.4

15.3

4.72

.014 b

Reading Speed

43.1

31.0 62.3

26.2 70.2

+28.4

3.56

.037 c

Errors

51.7

22.3 50.3

22.6 66.0

19.8

2.52

.092

Comprehension

75.7

25.9 82.7

21.8 80.5

26.0

.31

.734

Working Memory (WISC-IV) 97.2

12.3 104.1

9.9

12.6

2.85

.069

SEMA

9.0

12.7 32.6

9.7

3.99

.026 d

Reading a text aloud (ENI)

41.3

42.7

107.1

Post-Hoc Tests
a The three groups are
different from each other
(p < .01)
b LA is different from TA
& HA (p < .05)
c LA is different from HA
(p < .05)
d TA is different from HA
(p < .05)

Which has
more dots?

% of correct responses

90

Low Achievement
Typical Achievement
High Achievement

60

Which has the

larger value ?
400 ms

16

12
400 ms

RESULTS

1000 ms

Electrophysiological methods
The EEG activity was recorded from 19 channels using a standard electrocap, and earlobes were used for referencing. Impedances were <5 K and the signal was amplified at a 0.5-30 Hz bandpass
with a 5 ms sampling period. The signals were averaged offline using 1100 ms epochs (100 ms prior to the stimulus onset and 1000 ms following the presentation of the stimulus). ERPs were
computed with 20 correct, artifact-free trials for each condition and participant.

Note: WRAT-4, Wide Range Achievement Test; WISC, Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children; ENI, Evaluacin
Neuropsicologica Infantil; SEMA, Scale for Early Mathematical Anxiety [5]

P3

Non-Symbolic

Symbolic

Large distance 1:2

Large distance 1:2

Pz

P4

P3

Pz

P4

30
Mean ( 2 SE)
p < .05
0

Non-symbolic

Symbolic
Task

Reaction times (ms)

Explore behaviorally and

electrophysiologically the
processing of non-symbolic and
symbolic numerical magnitudes
in children with different levels
of mathematical achievement.

Numerical comparisons

HA(n=15)

Small distance 3:4

Small distance 3:4

800

AIM

DISCUSSION

Experimental Task
Non-symbolic

Sample Characteristics

Math
Difficulties

However, at the present time, there are

few studies that have evaluated both
numerical representations in children
with different levels of mathematics
achievement, much less using
neuroimaging techniques that allow us
to know differences undetectable by
traditional behavioral measures.

Laboratorio de Neurofisiologa Clnica, Instituto de Neurociencias,

Universidad de Guadalajara

400 ms

It is a current issue of debated whether

deficiencies in one or both of these
numerical representations are associated
with difficulties in mathematics at an
early age [3,4].

METHODS

J.G. Berumen-Salazar, F. R. Gmez-Velzquez, &

Andrs A. Gonzlez-Garrido

600

-8

400

-100

P3

Pz
300

700

P4

P3

Pz

P4

ms

200

REFERENCES

Non-symbolic

Symbolic

Task

LA shows less correct responses than HA

in both non-symbolic (p<0.05) and
symbolic tasks (p<0.05) .

16

Low Achievement
Typical Achievement
High Achievement

[1] Halberda, J., Mazzocco, M. M., & Feigenson, L. (2008). Nature, 455(7213), 665-668.
[2] Sasanguie, D., De Smedt, B., Defever, E., & Reynvoet, B. (2012). British Journal of Developmental
Psychology, 30(2), 344-357.

There is an interaction between the task and group (F (2, 42) = 4.4, p 0.05, 2 = .172) in the positive component
about 300-400 ms. The Post-Hoc analysis reveals that the HA group presents larger amplitudes than the LA group in
the non-symbolic comparisons..

Special thanks to Vanessa Ruiz Stovel for her help in the presentation of this poster, and Maxwell E. Spiegel for his help in the English edition.

[3] Rousselle, L., & Nol, M. P. (2007). Cognition, 102(3), 361-395.

[4] Piazza, M., Facoetti, A., Trussardi, A. N., Berteletti, I., Conte, S., Lucangeli, D., ... & Zorzi, M. (2010).
Cognition, 116(1), 33-41.
[5] Wu, S. S., Barth, M., Amin, H., Malcarne, V., & Menon, V. (2012). Frontiers in psychology, 3.
[6] Wilson, A. J., & Dehaene, S. (2007). Atypical development, 212-238.

Contact: gustavoberumen@gmail.com; fabiolargomez@gmail.com