The Contribution of Executive Functions in Predicting Mathematical Creativity in Typical Elementary School Classes: A Twofold Role for Updating

Abstract

The goal of the current study was to investigate the role of executive functions in mathematical creativity. The sample included 278 primary school children (ages 8–13). Two models were compared: the starting model tested whether executive functions (shifting, updating, and inhibition), domain-general creativity, and mathematical ability directly predicted mathematical creativity. The second model, which fitted the data best, included the additional assumption that updating influences mathematical creativity indirectly through mathematical ability and domain-general creativity. Updating was positively related to mathematical creativity. Additionally, updating was positively related to mathematical ability and domain-general creativity. Inhibition, shifting, domain-general creativity and mathematical ability did not have a significant contribution to either model but did positively correlate with mathematical creativity. This study reports the first empirical evidence that updating is a predictor of mathematical creativity in primary school children and demonstrates that creativity is a higher order cognitive process, activating a variety of cognitive abilities.

Mathematical Creativity in Adults: Its Measurement and Its Relation to Intelligence, Mathematical Competence and General Creativity

“…General creativity is thought to help individuals to combine ideas and consider alternative approaches to a situation in original ways ( Pitta-Pantazi et al 2018 ). While recent studies in children suggested that general creativity and mathematical competence are almost equally important for mathematical creativity ( Schoevers et al 2018 ; Stolte et al 2020 ), our results revealed general creativity as the strongest predictor for mathematical creativity. However, the results are not completely consistent.…”

“…However, the correlation we found was considerably smaller ( r = 0.24), also in comparison to a sample of college students ( r = 0.35, Chen et al 2006 ), and did not significantly predict mathematical creativity scores beyond the other measures. A similar finding was recently reported by Stolte et al ( 2020 ) with a small manifest correlation ( r = 0.20) between mathematical ability and mathematical creativity, which became statistically insignificant when taking into account other factors in an SEM. Our finding could be partly explained by the high correlation between the sub-facets of intelligence and mathematical competence.…”

“…However, the results are not completely consistent. Schoevers et al ( 2018 ) found general creativity to be a significant predictor of mathematical creativity ( r = 0.40), but Stolte et al ( 2020 ) reported an insignificant relationship ( r = 0.14). Our finding may be explained by the relatively low impact of mathematical competence.…”

“…Previous studies have reported a positive relation between mathematical knowledge, measured with mathematical ability tests, and mathematical creativity in children and adolescents (e.g., Haylock 1997 ; Kattou et al 2013 ; Tubb et al 2020 ). Correlational analyses showed small ( r = 0.20, Stolte et al 2020 ) to large ( r = 0.61, Kattou et al 2013 ) effects in children aged 7 to 12.…”

“…In contrast to these findings, there are also studies that have provided evidence that general creativity is a significant predictor of mathematical creativity, even when mathematical competence is taken into account ( Livne and Milgram 2006 ). Further, there is evidence that general creativity and mathematical competence are almost equally good predictors for mathematical creativity (e.g., r = 0.40 for general creativity vs. r = 0.34 for mathematical competence, Schoevers et al 2018 ; r = 0.20 for general creativity vs. r = 0.20 for mathematical competence, Stolte et al 2020 ). This rather speaks for a domain-general view of creativity.…”