Individual differences in learning and memory abilities have long been a topic for social science research. However, little basic research has been done concerning the possibility of a dichotomous split between verbal and mathematical cognitive functions. This study examines the achievement scores of a sample of college freshmen and discovers clear evidence of such a cognitive division. Limitations of the study are noted, and possibilities for future research are proposed.
Individual differences in learning and memory abilities have long been a controversial topic among researchers. Psychologists, sociologists, educators, and even politicians have struggled to either make sense of or denounce such differences. While most such studies have focused on various types of intelligence tests (e.g., Stanford-Binet) supposedly designed to measure latent intelligence (I.Q.), such tests do not attempt to break intelligence down into its component parts. Intuitively, though, we seem to infer that there are distinct differences between such cognitive functions as mathematical reasoning and verbal ability. This study will attempt to move such a notion beyond the merely intuitive and to provide scientific support for such a view.
Beyond this intuitive assumption, there is a long body of research concerning this apparent dichotomy. In 1938, Lewis Thurstone examined verbal ability, proposing it as a technical term used by cognitive and educational psychologists to refer to the amount and structure of one's verbal knowledge (often called vocabulary knowledge) and the ability to reason by using this knowledge (Marshalek, 1981). Later researchers (e.g., Mayer, 1992) specifically examined mathematical knowledge, defined as the ability to perform mathematical operations and to solve problems on a mathematical test. However, this definition is problematic because it presupposes an unknown level of verbal ability in order to take the propose...