Linguistic problem difficulty and lower linguistic abilities increase attention on situational text during the first solution phase of word-problem solving¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2025 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Lexical and syntactic problem difficulty led to significantly longer fixation durations on situational text during the first solution phase, and higher language abilities led to shorter fixation durations on situational text in the first phase. → Strohmaier 2025

Evidence¶

Strohmaier 2025¶

Strohmaier, A. R., Schons, C., Knabbe, A., Vogel, M., Saado, K., & Obersteiner, A. (2025). The relation between text comprehension and computation in mathematical word-problem solving. Learning and Instruction, 101, 102235. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2025.102235

q3 · i? · causal · r2

Eye-tracking experiment with 50 undergraduates (746 solutions analyzed via linear mixed models). Results section reports that lexical and syntactic difficulty produced "significantly longer fixation durations on situational text during the first solution phase" and higher language abilities shortened them; no standardized effect size printed for these coefficients.

"Lexical and syntactic problem difficulty led to significantly longer fixation durations on situational text during the first solution phase. Higher mathematical abilities led to significantly shorter fixation durations both on numbers and situational text in the second phase. Higher language abilities led to a significantly shorter fixation durations on situational text in the first phase."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Numerical difficulty and mathematical abilities also affect attention on situational text in the second phase (attention-crossover supporting integrated models) — related
• No evidence for phase-crossover effects predicted by flexible models — related
• Numerical problem difficulty lowers word-problem solution probability; both abilities raise it — related
• Placing the question first reduces first-phase attention but increases second-phase attention (with mixed robustness) — related