Page 13 - IJSA, Vol. 6, No 2, 2023

International Journal of Science Annals, Vol. 6, No. 2, 2023
рrint ISSN: 2617-2682; online ISSN: 2707-3637; DOI:10.26697/ijsa

Introduction anxiety within children can elicit avoidance behaviors
Physical activity and sports hold a pivotal role in the when confronted with arithmetic challenges (Orbach et
promotion of health and overall well-being. The al., 2020). Consequently, it is hypothesized that the
engagement of young individuals in physical activities presence of anxiety may disrupt the arithmetic
and sports has been correlated with favorable impacts on proficiencies of the participants under examination.
their mental health, encompassing emotional states, However, an alternative perspective posited by Wu et al.
behavioral patterns, and cognitive proficiencies (Hosker (2017) contends that when mathematical anxiety
et al., 2019). The cultivation of cognitive capacities, prevails, there might be an elevation in children’s levels
particularly arithmetic abilities, equips children and of vigilance, potentially serving as a mitigating factor
adolescents with enhanced precision in numerical against the adverse impact of attentional deficits on
comprehension, mathematical operations, point mathematical performance. Steele et al. (2012) study,
enumeration, and improved numerical estimations, analyzing the developmental trajectory of children’s
among other competencies (Landerl, 2013; Reeve et al., attentional capacities, identified sustained-selective
2012). These proficiencies are notably nurtured through attention as a predictive indicator of fundamental
participation in games (Butterworth, 2005). The mathematical abilities over a one-year observation
refinement of such abilities necessitates the period. Evidently, tasks involving counting necessitate
establishment of neural connections, exemplified by the engagement of serial attentional processes. In these
linkages between visual and verbal networks, as well as contexts, discrepancies in attentional proficiency may
visual and spatial networks (Rapin, 2016), both of which contribute to disparities in children’s performance
hold equal significance in the context of sports concerning mathematical problem-solving (Wu et al.,
performance (Tamorri, 2004). Moreover, a discernible 2017). The mechanism of attention entails focusing on
correlation has been substantiated between arithmetic stimuli of significance, thereby sieving a substantial
skills and self-reported levels of physical activity, portion of sensory input and directing cognitive
aerobic fitness, and motor prowess (Syväoja et al., processing toward selected components (Broadbrent,
2021). Notably, motor skills have been identified as 1958; Deutsch & Deutsch, 1963). Within the realm of
integral to fundamental numerical abilities, sports, attention assumes a pivotal function for athletes
encompassing aspects such as symbolic representation in identifying, selecting, or quantifying pertinent stimuli
on the number line (number identification) and during both training sessions and competitive events
nonsymbolic representation (object identification) (Carrascosa, 2003). This perspective prompts us to
(Gashaj et al., 2019a). The predictive linkage between contemplate the possibility of attention serving as a
fine motor skills and arithmetic competencies is also predictive determinant of arithmetic proficiencies
highlighted in a study conducted by Michel et al. (2020) among children engaged in sports. Nevertheless,
involving 173 children. The utilization of gestures or instances may arise wherein children, when grappling
manual manipulations has been shown to confer benefits with task challenges, resort to deception. This utilization
in the accuracy and swiftness of item counting (Carlson of deceit can manifest as a coping mechanism for
et al., 2007). The presence of proficient fine motor skills evading tasks, concealing uncertainties, and masking
additionally emerges as a predictor for mathematical weaknesses (Matias et al., 2015). Children frequently
prowess among children aged 7 to 8 years, as evidenced deploy falsehoods as a means of navigating their
by Gashaj et al. (2019b). In light of these insights, it recreational pursuits. In the sporting context, the
becomes apparent that sports training and the dissemination of false information can also be construed
augmentation of motor capabilities exert tangible effects as an intentional strategic maneuver that disadvantages
upon the arithmetic aptitudes of children who are adversaries and strategically shapes opponents’
engaged in sports activities. Moreover, in accordance behavior (Sailors et al., 2017). According to
with the investigation conducted by Wu et al. (2017), Ommundsen et al. (2003), children undergoing training
cognitive faculties encompassing working memory and to enhance soccer performance often exhibit heightened
attention, alongside affective constituents such as tendencies towards amoral conduct compared to their
mathematical anxiety, emerge as pivotal contributors to peers demonstrating elevated sociomoral maturity and
mathematical performance across both verbal and non- adherence to fair-play principles. The conceptual
verbal tasks. Nevertheless, the presence of mathematical framework advanced by Bransford and Stein (1993)
anxiety has been shown to impede the cognitive frames lying as a form of decision-making employed
processes essential to proficient task execution within when resolving problems risks compromising
this domain (Orbach et al., 2020). Mathematical anxiety achievement objectives. As children mature, their
constitutes an adverse emotional response characterized cognitive capacities for fabricating falsehoods improve
by feelings of unease and apprehension that students (Evans & Lee, 2011), thereby signifying that older
experience when confronted with mathematical children tend to wield lies more adeptly (Maggioni &
exercises (Hill et al., 2016), and this phenomenon can Rossignoli, 2020). In this vein, it is posited that age and
exert a detrimental influence on their mathematical the engagement in deceit could potentially exert
comprehension and problem-solving skills (Vukovic et influence over the arithmetic abilities of children.
al., 2013). Such anxiety can instigate intrusive negative Nonetheless, the intricacies of these abilities continue to
thoughts and engender a perception of environmental command substantial scholarly attention. Scientific
stimuli as threatening. Consequently, instances of math inquiry has delved into the associations between

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