DEFINITION OF THE TERM: Mathematical cognition is an area of science that deals with mathematical activity in the mind (such as processing numbers and geometry), and the biological basis for human mathematical competence. Mathematical cognition is an area of interdisciplinary research founded on psychology and neuroscience.
HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE TERM: The study of mathematical cognition follows a tradition of philosophical inquiry concerning mathematical intuition. While philosophers like Plato, Descartes, Kant, and Poincaré viewed this intuition as innate, Helmholtz thought it is shaped by experience. In his pioneering research on the development of mathematical cognition in children, Piaget continued to use the category of intuition and pointed out that knowledge of numbers and space is not built through observation but in action.
DISCUSSION OF THE TERM: Mathematical cognition is based on systems of core knowledge that are evolutionarily old, develop early in the course of individual development, and are culturally universal. These systems enable people to accurately assess the size of small sets of objects, estimate the size of larger sets, process shapes, and navigate spatially from an early age. However, these systems have limitations which are overcome – with the support of language – when learning numerals and spatial vocabulary. The research findings further indicate that the habit of finger-counting plays an important role in the transition from core knowledge systems to symbolic mathematics.
SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION WITH CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The study of mathematical cognition provides knowledge about one of the main research areas in the social sciences: the interactions between nature and culture. It also has implications for education, where it aids the creation of guidelines for supporting students with learning difficulties.
