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Is the ANS linked to mathematics performance?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2017

Matthew Inglis
Affiliation:
Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdomm.j.inglis@lboro.ac.uks.m.batchelor@lboro.ac.ukc.gilmore@lboro.ac.ukhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/mjihttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/sbhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/cg
Sophie Batchelor
Affiliation:
Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdomm.j.inglis@lboro.ac.uks.m.batchelor@lboro.ac.ukc.gilmore@lboro.ac.ukhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/mjihttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/sbhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/cg
Camilla Gilmore
Affiliation:
Mathematics Education Centre, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU, United Kingdomm.j.inglis@lboro.ac.uks.m.batchelor@lboro.ac.ukc.gilmore@lboro.ac.ukhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/mjihttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/sbhttp://mcg.lboro.ac.uk/cg
Derrick G. Watson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdomd.g.watson@warwick.ac.ukhttps://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/psych/people/dwatson/dwatson/

Abstract

Leibovich et al. argue persuasively that researchers should not assume that approximate number system (ANS) tasks harness an innate sense of number. However, some studies have reported a causal link between ANS tasks and mathematics performance, implicating the ANS in the development of numerical skills. Here we report a p-curve analysis, which indicates that these experimental studies do not contain evidential value.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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