The role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic for Chinese and Canadian adults

Two experiments were conducted to test cultural differences in the role of phonological and visual working memory in complex arithmetic. Canadian and Chinese students solved complex subtraction problems (e.g., 85 – 27; Experiment 1) and complex multiplication problems (e.g., 6 x 13; Experiment 2) under phonological and visual working memory loads. Problem complexity (i.e., borrow or carry operations) and presentation format (i.e., horizontal vs. vertical) were also manipulated. The results showed that Chinese and Canadians relied on both phonological and visual working memory resources when solving complex subtraction and multiplication problems. Selective involvement of phonological and visual working memory as a function of operation (Lee & Kang, 2002) or presentation format (Trbovich & LeFevre, 2003) was only found for Chinese and not for Canadians, calling into question the generalizability of these findings across arithmetic operations and cultural groups