We’re thrilled to announce that two new publications co-authored by MCLL’s researchers are now available. The first is an expert report (in Polish) on math anxiety by Monika Szczygieł, Nina Bażela, and Tomasz Knopik, published by the Polish Educational Research Institute. The second is a perspective paper titled “Interpreting Insect Behavior Through the Lens of Executive Functions” by Bartosz Baran, Michał Obidziński, and Mateusz Hohol. Both publications are open access.
Szczygieł, M., Bażela, N., & Knopik, T. (2025). Lęk przed matematyką – charakterystyka, uwarunkowania, interwencje. Instytut Badań Edukacyjnych – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy. DOI: 10.24131/9788368313734
The report covers:
- Definition and dimensions of math anxiety
- Polish context of math anxiety, along with a description of measurement scales
- Interventions targeting math anxiety
Baran, B., Obidziński, M., & Hohol, M. (2025). Interpreting Insect Behavior Through the Lens of Executive Functions. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, 19, 1638374. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnbeh.2025.1638374
The paper:
- Proposes a novel framework for understanding insect behavior through the lens of executive functions, a concept traditionally applied to human cognition
- Challenges the traditional view of insects as rigid, reflex-driven organisms by highlighting behaviors suggestive of rule abstraction, decision-making, and flexibility
- Demonstrates the predictive value of the executive functions framework in insect research, showing that if EF is involved, behavior should follow developmental patterns, speed–accuracy trade-offs, and contextual adaptation
