2025/05/16 by Ilse Elise Johanna Ingrid Coolen, Nicholas Judd, Rogier Kievit +1 · 1 voice
Mathematics · Social Sciences · #Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills #Mathematics Education and Pedagogy #Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques
paper · pdf · doi:10.31234/osf.io/puvq5_v2
openalex publication_date 2025/05/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/14
When processing non-symbolic quantities, both numerical information (processed through the Approximate Number System; ANS) and spatial information (e.g., size, density) are simultaneously processed. While the connection between ANS tasks and spatial skills has been explored at the task level, construct-level links between the ANS and spatial remains underexplored. The aim of this study is to tease apart the structure of ANS measures and spatial skills measures in early childhood through factor analyses and investigate the correlation between both constructs through testing the age and ability differentiation hypothesis. Using factor modelling, we find the ANS and Spatial skills to represent the same underlying concept. This unidimensionality is further supported by the lack of any age or ability differentiation. We conclude that ANS and spatial skills seem to be inherently challenging to distinguish due to their intertwined nature.