Statistical learning and mathematics knowledge: the case of arithmetic principles

Abstract

Statistical learning—an unconscious cognitive process used to extract regularities—is well-established as a fundamental mechanism underlying learning. Yet, despite the prominence of patterns in the number system and operations, little is known about the relation between statistical learning and mathematics knowledge. This study examined the associations among statistical learning, executive control, and arithmetic knowledge among first graders (N = 54). The relations varied by operation. For addition, children with greater statistical learning capacity responded more quickly to problems that were part of a principle (i.e., commutativity) pair than to unrelated problems, even after accounting for baseline performance, executive control, and age. For subtraction, results indicated an interaction between children's baseline subtraction performance and their statistical learning on accuracy. These findings provide an impetus for testing new models of mathematics learning that include statistical learning as a potentially important mechanism.