Current Research Ideas

Pathways to Conceptual Knowledge of Decimals

In a series of studies, we are exploring whether middle school students can develop stronger decimal competence by solving and receiving feedback on balanced sets of practice problems. We specifically target both procedural knowledge (i.e., the ability to execute procedures to solve problems) and conceptual knowledge (i.e., the knowledge of the mathematical meaning, relationships, and principles underlying symbols and procedures). Both are critical aspects of math competence, yet there are theoretical gaps in our understanding of the causal relationship between the two. Therefore, this project not only aims to test the effectiveness of practice problem interventions but also seeks to contribute to the theoretical understanding of how the procedural and conceptual knowledge are interconnected.

Early Knowledge About Probability

We are launching a new line of research exploring young children’s understanding of non-symbolic probabilities. While many middle school students and adults find symbolic probabilities challenging, recent studies show that infants show surprisingly sophisticated intuitions about probability in non-symbolic formats. This project aims to shed light on the developmental trajectory of probability understanding and explore how early competence can be leveraged to enhance later skills with symbolic probabilities.

Gender Disparities in STEM

In several projects, we are examining the basis of gender disparities in STEM fields, with a focus on academic motivation and spatial skills. Using secondary data analysis and experimental methods, we are exploring when and how gender gaps emerge in academic motivation and how spatial skills and motivation contribute to STEM achievement and choice.

Publications

Mentee Roles: ✝ Post‑bac, ✲ Undergraduate student ✭ Junior graduate student

Tian, J., Bennett‐Pierre, G., Tavassolie, N., Zhang, X., D'Antonio, E., Sylverne, L., ... & Gunderson, E. A. (2025). A month‐long

parent‐led spatial intervention failed to improve children's spatial skills. Mind, Brain, and Education.

Tian, J., Bennet‑Pierre, G., Tavassolie, N., Newcombe, N., Weinraub, M., Hindman, H. A., Newton, K. J., & Gunderson, E. A.

(2023). A growth mindset message leads parents to choose more challenging informal learning activities. Journal of Intelligence. Special Issue: Spatial Intelligence and Learning.

Tian, J., Ren, K., & Gunderson, E. A. (2023). Verbal labels influence children’s processing of decimal magnitudes. Journal of

Applied Developmental Psychology.

Tian, J., Ren, K., Newcombe, N., Weinraub, M., Vandell, D., & Gunderson, E. A. (2022). Tracing the origins of the STEM

gender gap: Childhood spatial skills contribute to women’s under‑representation in STEM majors. Developmental Science, e13302.

Siegler, R. S. & Tian, J. (2022). Why do we need three rational number notations? The importance of percentages. Advances

in Child Development and Behavior

Tian, J., ✝Leib, E. R., ✝Griger, C., ✭Oppenzato, C. O., & Siegler R. S. (2022). Biased problem distributions in assignments

parallel those in textbooks: Evidence from fraction and decimal arithmetic. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 8(1), 73‑ 88

Tian, J., ✲Dam, S., & Gunderson, E. A. (2022). Spatial skills, but not spatial anxiety, mediate gender differences

in number line estimation. Developmental Psychology, 58(1), 138‑151.

Tian, J., Bartek, V., ✲Rahman, M. Z., & Gunderson, E. A. (2021). Learning improper fractions with the number lines and

the area models. Journal of Cognition and Development, 22(2), 305‑327.