Cognitive factors affecting children's nonsymbolic and symbolic magnitude judgment abilities: A latent profile analysis

Abstract

Early math abilities are claimed to be linked to magnitude representation ability. Some claim that nonsymbolic magnitude abilities scaffold the acquisition of symbolic (Arabic number) magnitude abilities and influence math ability. Others claim that symbolic magnitude abilities, and ipso facto math abilities, are independent of nonsymbolic abilities and instead depend on the ability to process number symbols (e.g., 2, 7). Currently, the issue of whether symbolic abilities are or are not related to nonsymbolic abilities, and the cognitive factors associated with nonsymbolic–symbolic relationships, remains unresolved. We suggest that different nonsymbolic–symbolic relationships reside within t..