Statistical learning and mathematics: Are different domains and modalities of statistical learning related to different math skills?

Statistical learning (SL) is widely recognized as a critical contributor to the acquisition of a wide range of cognitive skills, particularly language. Overall, SL refers to the ability to extract regularities in how stimuli co-occur across space and time, in different domains (verbal or non-verbal) and modalities (auditory or visual). Mathematics is often referred to as a language of symbols and rules. However, the potential role of SL in mathematical cognition remains largely underexamined. Given the multidimensional nature of mathematics (e.g., arithmetic, geometry), we hypothesized that the acquisition of different math abilities relies on the extraction of verbal and/or visuospatial regularities. To test this hypothesis, the current study represents the first investigation of the relationship between SL in different domains and modalities of learning input and several math skills. To this end, 151 adult participants were evaluated on auditory-verbal and visual/visuospatial SL abilities, as well as on two basic math skills (order processing and geometry intuition) and on general math performance. The results of a path analysis showed that SL is related to basic math skills, which in turn are (indirectly) related to general math performance. Importantly, domain/modality-specific trends were observed, such that auditory-verbal and visuospatial SL were related to order processing and geometry intuition, respectively. These findings indicate a consistent, albeit small, association between SL and mathematical cognition, and underline the importance of considering different domains and modalities of SL in relation to a multidimensional skill like mathematics.