Education shapes the structure of semantic memory and impacts creative thinking.
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_90B73AD3B709
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Education shapes the structure of semantic memory and impacts creative thinking.
Journal
NPJ science of learning
ISSN
2056-7936 (Print)
ISSN-L
2056-7936
Publication state
Published
Issued date
09/12/2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
6
Number
1
Pages
35
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: epublish
Publication Status: epublish
Abstract
Education is central to the acquisition of knowledge, such as when children learn new concepts. It is unknown, however, whether educational differences impact not only what concepts children learn, but how those concepts come to be represented in semantic memory-a system that supports higher cognitive functions, such as creative thinking. Here we leverage computational network science tools to study hidden knowledge structures of 67 Swiss schoolchildren from two distinct educational backgrounds-Montessori and traditional, matched on socioeconomic factors and nonverbal intelligence-to examine how educational experience shape semantic memory and creative thinking. We find that children experiencing Montessori education show a more flexible semantic network structure (high connectivity/short paths between concepts, less modularity) alongside higher scores on creative thinking tests. The findings indicate that education impacts how children represent concepts in semantic memory and suggest that different educational experiences can affect higher cognitive functions, including creative thinking.
Pubmed
Web of science
Open Access
Yes
Create date
17/12/2021 18:34
Last modification date
08/08/2024 7:37