Smaller sample sizes are associated with larger VSWM–mathematics effect sizes¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesisr2·q2·i2medium
Currency · newest study 2019 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q2 i2 Effect size correlates positively with smaller sample size (rs = 0.340, p = 0.046), a pattern the authors interpret as indicative of potential publication bias. → Katie Allen & Steve Higgins & John Adams 2019
Evidence¶
Katie Allen & Steve Higgins & John Adams 2019¶
Katie Allen & Steve Higgins & John Adams. (2019). The Relationship between Visuospatial Working Memory and Mathematical Performance in School-Aged Children: a Systematic Review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09470-8
q2 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2
Subsection analysis of the 35 studies relating sample size to effect size; the printed correlation effect size rs = 0.340 (p = 0.046) is a small-to-moderate association, strengthening to rs = 0.404 after removing one extremely large-sample study.
"Larger effect sizes appear concurrent with smaller sample sizes ( rs = 0.340, p =0 . 0 4 6 ) , as previously demonstrated in the literature as a common phenomenon and indicative of potential publication bias"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Participant age shows no significant correlation with VSWM–mathematics effect sizes — related
- Funnel-plot asymmetry ran contrary to small-study effects because larger-sample studies reported larger effect sizes, likely reflecting longer training programs — reports the opposite
- VSWM shows an overall positive relationship with mathematics performance in school-aged children — related
- Studies using a standardised mathematics measure yield significantly larger VSWM–mathematics effect sizes — related
- Standardised and non-standardised VSWM measures perform equally in relating VSWM to mathematics performance — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
smaller-samples-larger-effect-sizes |
title |
Smaller sample sizes are associated with larger VSWM–mathematics effect sizes |
description |
Smaller sample sizes are associated with larger VSWM–mathematics effect sizes |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
weak |
newest_evidence |
2019 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-22 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — katie-allen-steve-higgins-john-adams-2019 |
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