Understanding individual differences in mathematics learning and cognition: The role of creative potential and mathematical creativity and giftedness
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Psychology
Abstract
Creative potential (CP) refers to the underlying traits, abilities and experiences that lead to creativity (Feist, 2018; Zhang, 2012); a mixture of cognitive, affective and personality factors constitute general factors of CP, with different domain-specific CP factor-profiles (this was the focus of my MPhil). Whilst much research focusses on CP in the arts, this differs from CP in STEM, particularly mathematics (Carson, 2005). However, there is an important yet complex relationship between creativity and mathematical cognition across an individual's lifetime (Kroesbergen and Schoevers 2017; Lubinski et al., 2014); this research focusses on creativity as an element of giftedness, although recent consensus suggests CP is an everyday construct, not just limited to those of high ability. Thus, by considering a spectrum of abilities (e.g. gifted maths, typical maths learners, and those with mathematical difficulties) and attitudes (including enjoyment, self-efficacy and maths anxiety), a more complete picture of not only how individuals differ in mathematics, but also how we begin to cater for these variations in mathematical learning, can be ascertained; creativity plays an important role in addressing this (Howard-Jones, 2012).
However, despite this focus being justified, research in the psychology of maths education tend to either (a) only acknowledge creativity as a product rather than a complex aspect of cognition that is affected by environmental factors (e.g. SES), (b) focus only on one group of individuals (e.g. those with maths anxiety or dyscalculia) or one discipline and (c) focus distinctly on either ability or attitude, ignoring the interplay of the two. This study aims to address this by considering a complex model of mathematical cognition consisting of CP, mathematical creativity, ability and attitude. However, due to the original association between creativity, high achievement and having divergent patterns of thinking to the norm (Feist, 2008) it is hypothesised that this study may be most beneficial in understanding gifted mathematics. This is an extremely understudied area in cognitive psychology and neuroscience research due to a limited number of participants (Myers et al., 2017); small sample sizes also make definite conclusions difficult.
Methods and Sample: The aim is to consider individuals at different stages of maths education predominantly using psychometric and cognitive ability tests; the initial ideas may be adapted depending on skills acquired and a review of existing methods. This sample could realistically consist of 100 individuals from each of the following groups: compulsory maths students (GCSE), those who have started specialising (A-level) and those in more advanced mathematics (different levels of university and academia). Alongside using general CP tests, the initial focus will be on conceptualising, selecting or developing a task/problem-based measure of mathematical creativity. This can be combined with questionnaires including maths ability-academic grade, level of maths education, math-specific cognitive ability (e.g. parity judgement, symbolic magnitude comparison and numerical and spatial reasoning test scores)- and mathematics attitude (maths anxiety, enjoyment and self-efficacy) alongside a consideration of sociodemographic factors (e.g. gender, SES, highest level of education etc).
Thus, using multivariate analysis, this study could help us understand individual differences in mathematics learning and cognition, addressing:
1. What are the cognitive, affective and trait-based predictors of maths creativity? Does this differ between those with maths anxiety, typical and gifted maths learners?
2. What is the relationship between both domain-general and domain-specific CP, maths ability and attitude?
3. What roles do educational and sociodemographic factors (eg gender, SES, level of education, discipline studied) play in this relationship, especially for disadvantaged or
However, despite this focus being justified, research in the psychology of maths education tend to either (a) only acknowledge creativity as a product rather than a complex aspect of cognition that is affected by environmental factors (e.g. SES), (b) focus only on one group of individuals (e.g. those with maths anxiety or dyscalculia) or one discipline and (c) focus distinctly on either ability or attitude, ignoring the interplay of the two. This study aims to address this by considering a complex model of mathematical cognition consisting of CP, mathematical creativity, ability and attitude. However, due to the original association between creativity, high achievement and having divergent patterns of thinking to the norm (Feist, 2008) it is hypothesised that this study may be most beneficial in understanding gifted mathematics. This is an extremely understudied area in cognitive psychology and neuroscience research due to a limited number of participants (Myers et al., 2017); small sample sizes also make definite conclusions difficult.
Methods and Sample: The aim is to consider individuals at different stages of maths education predominantly using psychometric and cognitive ability tests; the initial ideas may be adapted depending on skills acquired and a review of existing methods. This sample could realistically consist of 100 individuals from each of the following groups: compulsory maths students (GCSE), those who have started specialising (A-level) and those in more advanced mathematics (different levels of university and academia). Alongside using general CP tests, the initial focus will be on conceptualising, selecting or developing a task/problem-based measure of mathematical creativity. This can be combined with questionnaires including maths ability-academic grade, level of maths education, math-specific cognitive ability (e.g. parity judgement, symbolic magnitude comparison and numerical and spatial reasoning test scores)- and mathematics attitude (maths anxiety, enjoyment and self-efficacy) alongside a consideration of sociodemographic factors (e.g. gender, SES, highest level of education etc).
Thus, using multivariate analysis, this study could help us understand individual differences in mathematics learning and cognition, addressing:
1. What are the cognitive, affective and trait-based predictors of maths creativity? Does this differ between those with maths anxiety, typical and gifted maths learners?
2. What is the relationship between both domain-general and domain-specific CP, maths ability and attitude?
3. What roles do educational and sociodemographic factors (eg gender, SES, level of education, discipline studied) play in this relationship, especially for disadvantaged or
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Denes Szucs (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Rebecca Myers (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000738/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2591073 | Studentship | ES/P000738/1 | 01/10/2021 | 30/09/2024 | Rebecca Myers |