Abstract
This study examined whether long-term abacus-based mental calculation (AMC) training improved numerical processing efficiency and at what stage of information processing the effect appeard. Thirty-three children participated in the study and were randomly assigned to two groups at primary school entry, matched for age, gender and IQ. All children went through the same curriculum except that the abacus group received a 2-h/per week AMC training, while the control group did traditional numerical practice for a similar amount of time. After a 2-year training, they were tested with a numerical Stroop task. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and event related potential (ERP) recording techniques were used to monitor the temporal dynamics during the task. Children were required to determine the numerical magnitude (NC) (NC task) or the physical size (PC task) of two numbers presented simultaneously. In the NC task, the AMC group showed faster response times but similar accuracy compared to the control group. In the PC task, the two groups exhibited the same speed and accuracy. The saliency of numerical information relative to physical information was greater in AMC group. With regards to ERP results, the AMC group displayed congruity effects both in the earlier (N1) and later (N2 and LPC (late positive component) time domain, while the control group only displayed congruity effects for LPC. In the left parietal region, LPC amplitudes were larger for the AMC than the control group. Individual differences for LPC amplitudes over left parietal area showed a positive correlation with RTs in the NC task in both congruent and neutral conditions. After controlling for the N2 amplitude, this correlation also became significant in the incongruent condition. Our results suggest that AMC training can strengthen the relationship between symbolic representation and numerical magnitude so that numerical information processing becomes quicker and automatic in AMC children.
Highlights
Many studies using a variety of techniques, such as single-cell recording, neuroimaging, and electroencephalographic(EEG) recording have provided evidence for the important role numericalNumerical processing in abacus children cognition plays in the domain of higher cognition (Nieder and Dehaene, 2009)
We were more interested in the numerical processing aspects in this study, we only performed the statistics for event-related potential (ERP) during the numerical magnitude (NC) task
ERP Results in the NC Task We demonstrated for the first time the changes in temporal course of numerical processing in the brain induced by longterm training of Abacus-based Mental Calculation (AMC) in children who practiced mental abacus
Summary
Many studies using a variety of techniques, such as single-cell recording, neuroimaging, and electroencephalographic(EEG) recording have provided evidence for the important role numericalNumerical processing in abacus children cognition plays in the domain of higher cognition (Nieder and Dehaene, 2009). Animals can differentiate small precise quantities and represent the approximate magnitude of large sets, only human beings appear able to represent and manipulate large, exact numerical quantities (Feigenson et al, 2004) This human capacity may constitute the basis for higher arithmetical abilities (Dehaene et al, 1999; Frank et al, 2008). Children exposed to Abacus-based Mental Calculation (AMC) training can solve complex calculation problems with unusually fast speed and high accuracy (Hatano et al, 1977; Stigler, 1984) Experts acquire this capacity through a particular algorithm and after long-term training (Hatano et al, 1977)
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