Abstract
Numerical cognition is a foundational skill that varies across cultures, yet the underlying mechanisms remain debated. This study investigates cross-cultural differences in basic numerical processing between East Asian (Chinese, Japanese) and Western (Canadian, American) children aged 6–8 years. We recruited 240 participants (120 East Asian, 120 Western) from urban schools and administered tasks assessing number magnitude comparison, counting speed, and arithmetic fluency. Additionally, we measured finger-counting habits and parental attitudes toward mathematics. Results revealed that East Asian children outperformed Western peers on arithmetic fluency and counting speed, but not on magnitude comparison. East Asian children also exhibited more systematic finger-counting patterns, which mediated the cultural effect on arithmetic. Parental expectations partially mediated cultural differences in counting speed. These findings align with sociocultural learning models (Li & Yamamoto, 2019) and embodied numerosity accounts (Morrissey et al., 2016). The study underscores the role of early educational practices and finger-counting habits in shaping numerical cognition. Implications for cross-cultural educational interventions are discussed.
Keywords
numerical cognition, cross-cultural differences, children, finger counting, arithmetic fluency, East Asian, Western, embodied cognition