title: Time estimation predicts mathematical intelligence.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Performing mental subtractions affects time (duration) estimates, and making time estimates disrupts mental subtractions. This interaction has been attributed to the concurrent involvement of time estimation and arithmetic with general intelligence and working memory. Given the extant evidence of a relationship between time and number, here we test the stronger hypothesis that time estimation correlates specifically with mathematical intelligence, and not with general intelligence or working-memory capacity.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants performed a (prospective) time estimation experiment, completed several subtests of the WAIS intelligence test, and self-rated their mathematical skill. For five different durations, we found that time estimation correlated with both arithmetic ability and self-rated mathematical skill. Controlling for non-mathematical intelligence (including working memory capacity) did not change the results. Conversely, correlations between time estimation and non-mathematical intelligence either were nonsignificant, or disappeared after controlling for mathematical intelligence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that time estimation specifically predicts mathematical intelligence. On the basis of the relevant literature, we furthermore conclude that the relationship between time estimation and mathematical intelligence is likely due to a common reliance on spatial ability.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. peter.kramer@unipd.it
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bressan
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grassi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004594:Electrophysiology / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software; D013997:Time Factors; D014888:Wechsler Scales