The study addresses the gap in understanding the cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence
Research gap analysis derived from 5 psychology papers in our local library.
The gap
The study addresses the gap in understanding the cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence. It examines the relationship between domain-general and domain-specific cognitive processes and mathematical performance. The study inve
Evidence profile
Sourced from the inline gaps and stated research gap and future-work section of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2025 and 2026, spanning 4 journals. Those papers have been cited 7 times in total.
Research trend
Established — well-defined area with open sub-problems.
Supporting evidence — 6 representative gaps
- General Ability Level Moderates Cognitive–Achievement Relations for Mathematics (2025) · Journal of Intelligence · cited 3× · doi
Future research should examine these findings with more heterogeneous samples and special populations, specifically those with demonstrated mathematics difficulties and/or are highly gifted in mathematics. However, given our study results that take overall ability level into account when examining cognitive–achievement relations, further research is warranted. ever, it remains poorly understood as to which broad cognitive abilities should be emphasized, as individuals with mathematics difficulties display a wide range of cognitive strengths and weaknesses (Peng et al. We feel that the integrated model that separates mathematical calculation and problem solving is warranted because foundational calculation skills are necessary precursors to more complex problem-solving skills.
generalinline gapsKeywords: mathematics cognitive difficulties warranted calculation problem solving skills future examine heterogeneous samples special populations specifically - Exploring cognitive predictors: Examining varied impact on early number skills in a longitudinal study (2026) · Journal of Numerical Cognition · doi
However, further research is necessary to fully determine which general cognitive abilities should be targeted in training to support children as they learn mathematical skills. Another limitation of this study is the lack of a measure of visuospatial ability (e. One limitation in our study is the general processing speed task we used.
generalinline gapsKeywords: general limitation further necessary fully determine cognitive abilities targeted training support children learn mathematical skills - Empirical Study on the Correlation Between Mathematical Cognitive Structure, Higher-Order Thinking Ability, and Mathematical Modeling Ability (2026) · Advanced Electromagnetics · doi
Existing studies mostly examine single abilities or pairwise relationships, lacking systematic empirical evidence on the intrinsic correlation among the three. There is a lack of empirical evidence on the correlation between mathematical cognitive structure, higher-order thinking ability, and mathematical modeling ability.
generalstated research gapevidence 5/5Keywords: existing studies mostly examine single abilities pairwise relationships - Cross-Lagged Relationships Between Cognitive Ability and Math Achievement (2025) · Journal of Intelligence · cited 2× · doi
Empirical studies investigating the relationship between cognitive ability and math achievement often rely on only two measurement time points. Small or selective samples, or undifferentiated performance indicators are commonly used. The study aims to fill this gap by using a longitudinal design with four measurement time points.
generalstated research gapevidence 5/5Keywords: empirical studies investigating relationship between cognitive ability math - Cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence in preschoolers: evidence from a multivariate model (2026) · European Journal of Psychology of Education · cited 1× · doi
The study addresses the gap in understanding the cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence. It examines the relationship between domain-general and domain-specific cognitive processes and mathematical performance. The study investigates the impact of maturational development on mathematical competence.
generalstated research gapevidence 5/5Keywords: study addresses gap understanding cognitive precursors early mathematical - Cognitive precursors of early mathematical competence in preschoolers: evidence from a multivariate model (2026) · European Journal of Psychology of Education · cited 1× · doi
Further research is needed to explore the relationship between cognitive precursors and mathematical competence in different populations, - Longitudinal studies could investigate the long-term effects of early mathematical education, - Research could examine the effectiveness of interventions targeting verbal working memory and symbolic numerical skills
generalfuture-work sectionevidence 4/5Keywords: further research needed explore relationship between cognitive precursors
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