Interference inhibition correlates more strongly with mathematical ability than response inhibition¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r? · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 The correlation between interference inhibition and mathematical ability (r = 0.21) is significantly stronger than the correlation between response inhibition and mathematical ability (r = 0.14). → Zhu 2025

Evidence¶

Zhu 2025¶

Zhu, X., Tang, Y., Lu, J., Song, M., Yang, C., & Zhao, X. (2025). Inhibitory Control and Mathematical Ability in Elementary School Children: A Preregistered Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 37(1), 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-024-09976-w

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r?

Bivariate moderator analysis in the three-level meta-analysis found a significant moderating effect of inhibitory control type, F(1, 237) = 5.64, p = 0.018. Subgroup analyses showed interference inhibition correlated positively with mathematical ability in all domains (rs = 0.18–0.27), generally stronger than response inhibition (rs = −0.01–0.19).

"the relationship between interference inhibition and mathematical ability, r = 0.21, 95% CI [0.16, 0.25], p < 0.001, was significantly stronger than the relationship between response inhibition and mathematical ability, r = 0.14, 95% CI [0.08, 0.20], p < 0.001, t = −2.37, p = 0.018."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Inhibitory control is moderately positively correlated with mathematical ability in elementary school children (r = 0.19) — a broader claim this one bears on
• Mathematics achievement is more strongly related to inhibition measured in numerical than non-numerical contexts — related
• Interference suppression, but not response inhibition, relates to academic achievement and schooling skills — related
• The inhibitory control–mathematical ability correlation does not differ across domains of mathematical ability — related