The Study Of The Central Executive System Of Chinese Mathematically Gifted Students

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore Chinese Mathematically GiftedStudents’ characteristics of the central executive function, and seek the core advantages oftheir central executive function.Method: Experiment one tests subjects’ language working memory capacity, using N-back test consisting of language materials (letters); experiment two uses N-back testconsisting of space graphics paradigm material (spatial point arrangement) to investigatesubjects’ spatial working memory capacity; experiment three uses digital Stroop paradigmto investigate participants’ ability to coordinate conflict information; experiment four teststhe participants’ cognitive flexibility on the conversion of rules by the way of Wisconsincard paradigm.Results: The results of experiment one and experiment two are consistent with theresearch hypotheses. The Mathematically Gifted Students have significant advantage inworking memory capacity (compared with normal group, they have higher accuracy andfaster response speed). The performance of their working memory advantage especiallylies inspatial working memory tests. The consistency of the results in experiment three andassuming is also high. It is found that the mathematically gifted students have significantadvantage in the inhibiting function. When dealing with the conflict information, they canbetter inhibit interference factors’ influence. The significant difference between themathematically gifted students and the control group has not been found. ChineseMathematically Gifted Students don’t have advantage in the cognitive flexibility on theconversion of rules, which may reflect the influence of China long-term education practiceto Mathematically Gifted Students’ cognitive function.Conclusion: The central executive function of Chinese Mathematically GiftedStudents is of uniqueness. Compared with normal group, they have greater workingmemory capacity (especially the spatial working memory) and faster response speed. Atthe same time, they can better suppress the interference of irrelevant information. These characteristics may be the cognitive basis on what China mathematical genius’ excellentmathematical ability is based.