Role of distraction on children's math performance – MathDistract

To study key mechanisms in children's math performance, everal experiments will test how distraction influences children’s difficulties in mathematics. In these experiments, children will accomplish math tasks under varying levels of distraction. New tasks involving, among other, crucial executive control mechanisms (e.g., inhibition) will be used. Psychometric properties (validity, reliability, sensitivity) will be empirically established. Also, we will test the original strategy hypothesis (i.e., distraction changes which strategies children use, how often they use strategies, how they execute and select among strategies). Theoretically the highly contributive value of the present project lies in its providing a mechanistic account of the role of distraction on children’s math performance. Empirically, in addition to specify conditions of deleterious effects of distraction, the present data will inform conditions of maximum efficiency for children to learn math.