title: Individual differences in solving arithmetic word problems.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  With the present functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study at 3 T, we investigated the neural correlates of visualization and verbalization during arithmetic word problem solving. In the domain of arithmetic, visualization might mean to visualize numbers and (intermediate) results while calculating, and verbalization might mean that numbers and (intermediate) results are verbally repeated during calculation. If the brain areas involved in number processing are domain-specific as assumed, that is, that the left angular gyrus (AG) shows an affinity to the verbal domain, and that the left and right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) shows an affinity to the visual domain, the activation of these areas should show a dependency on an individual's cognitive style.
  
  
  METHODS
  36 healthy young adults participated in the fMRI study. The participants habitual use of visualization and verbalization during solving arithmetic word problems was assessed with a short self-report assessment. During the fMRI measurement, arithmetic word problems that had to be solved by the participants were presented in an event-related design.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that visualizers showed greater brain activation in brain areas involved in visual processing, and that verbalizers showed greater brain activation within the left angular gyrus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that cognitive styles or preferences play an important role in understanding brain activation. Our results confirm, that strong visualizers use mental imagery more strongly than weak visualizers during calculation. Moreover, our results suggest that the left AG shows a specific affinity to the verbal domain and subserves number processing in a modality-specific way.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Psychology and Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Graz, Austria. sabrina.zarnhofer@uni-graz.at
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zarnhofer
authors.forename: Verena
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Braunstein
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koschutnig
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neuper
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ninaus
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reishofer
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ischebeck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D007802:Language; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000502:physiology*; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D057566:Self Report; D014793:Visual Cortex / Q000502:physiology*