Open Access

ARTICLE

Parental cognitive ability effects on children’s logical reasoning ability: The mediating role of academic expectation and the family environment

Qing Wang¹, Haiyan Xu², Xuhuan Wang^2,*

1 Department of Psychology, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, 410081, China
2 College of Education, Pingxiang University, Pingxiang, 337055, China

* Corresponding Author: Xuhuan Wang. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(4), 497-503. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.070069

Received 15 June 2024; Accepted 08 June 2025; Issue published 17 August 2025

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between parental cognitive ability and child logical reasoning ability, and the role of academic expectation and family environment in that relationship. Based on the 2020 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data, 1491 children (girls ratio = 53.78%; average grade = 6.023 years, school grade standard deviation = 1.825 years). Results following multiple regression model (OLS) show that the higher the parental cognitive ability, the higher the children’s logical reasoning ability. Secondly, parental academic expectation serves as a mediator between their cognitive ability and children’s logical reasoning ability for higher logical reasoning by children. Third, a possible family environment acts as a mediator in the relationship between parents’ cognitive ability and children’s logical reasoning ability to be higher. We conclude from these findings that parents with high cognitive abilities can enhance their children’s logical reasoning skills not only by setting higher academic expectations, but also by cultivating a supportive family environment. These findings imply a need for intervention to improve family quality of life to enhance children’s thinking abilities to optimize their academic learning.

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Keywords

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