The acquisition of domain-specific number knowledge and domain-general cognitive processes, including working memory, have shown to contribute to math learning and achievement. Correlational work has emphasized a reciprocal relationship between these processes; however, little is known about their relative and causal contributions to math learning. Here, we test the individual and additive benefits of playing tablet-based games targeting domain-specific and domain-general skills to improve mathematical knowledge and working memory in a diverse population of kindergarten children (N = 235, 50 % female, 45 % Hispanic/Latino, 35 % African American/Black, 21 % White, 6 % biracial/mixed race, 51 % annual household income less than $30,000). Our results provide causal evidence for the reciprocal relations between numerical knowledge and working memory. Specifically, we found that playing a working memory game led to improvements in mathematical knowledge as compared to an active control and after taking into account baseline performance. Importantly, we also found that children who played both a working memory game and a numerical knowledge game showed the most pronounced and sustained benefits in mathematical knowledge, with benefits remaining present several weeks after intervention completion. Our findings illustrate the importance of targeting both domain-general and domain-specific skills in order to maximize the benefits of interventions to improve mathematical knowledge. Yet, given the inconsistent results across various studies, we argue that it is critical to further investigate underlying mechanisms and training features, as even subtle variations seem to dramatically affect training outcomes.

事实证明，获取特定领域的数字知识和一般领域的认知过程（包括工作记忆）有助于数学学习和成就。相关工作强调了这些过程之间的相互关系；然而，人们对它们对数学学习的相对和因果贡献知之甚少。在这里，我们测试了玩针对特定领域和通用领域技能的平板电脑游戏的个人和附加效益，以提高不同幼儿园儿童群体的数学知识和工作记忆（N = 235，50% 为女性，45% 为西班牙裔） /拉丁裔、35% 非裔美国人/黑人、21% 白人、6% 混血/混血、51% 家庭年收入低于 30,000 美元）。我们的结果为数字知识和工作记忆之间的相互关系提供了因果证据。具体来说，我们发现，与主动控制相比，并且在考虑基线表现后，玩工作记忆游戏可以提高数学知识。重要的是，我们还发现，同时玩工作记忆游戏和数字知识游戏的儿童在数学知识方面表现出最明显和持续的益处，并且在干预完成几周后仍然存在这种益处。我们的研究结果说明了针对通用领域和特定领域技能的重要性，以便最大限度地发挥提高数学知识的干预措施的好处。然而，鉴于各种研究的结果不一致，我们认为进一步研究潜在机制和训练特征至关重要，因为即使是细微的变化似乎也会极大地影响训练结果。