The role of cognitive inhibition and metacognition on the mathematics performance of middle school students

Abstract

Considering the contribution of both inhibition as an executive function and metacognition as a meta-level construct to mathematics performance, the relationship between inhibition and metacognition was investigated in this study. The aim was to investigate to understand whether metacognition or inhibition was more predictive when considering mathematics performance. The study was conducted with two hundred and thirty-four middle school students in grades 7 and 8. For mathematics performance, a test of mathematics problems chosen as suitable for leading students to answer intuitively and Mathematics achievement scores in report cards were used. Measuring metacognition was executed through a Likert-type metacognitive skill inventory. As another metacognitive measure, calibration scores as prediction and evaluation judgement of the students before and after the problem test were also computed. Inhibition was measured with a numerical Stroop-like test on computer. Findings showed that there was not a significant relationship between metacognition and cognitive inhibition. While observing the significant relationship between metacognition and both mathematics performance measures, inhibition was only associated with mathematics achievement scores with a low coefficient. Regression analysis indicated that metacognition had a greater role on mathematics performance than inhibition. The results emphasized the major role of metacognition as an analytic thinking structure in mathematics performance.