Dataset Information

Malleability of mappings between Arabic numerals and approximate quantities: Factors underlying individual differences and the relation to math.

ABSTRACT: Humans tend to be inaccurate and inconsistent when estimating a large number of objects. Furthermore, we modify our estimates when feedback or a reference array is provided, indicating that the mappings between perceived numerosity and their corresponding numerals are largely malleable in response to calibration. However, there is great variability in response to calibration across individuals. Using uncalibrated and calibrated numerosity estimation conditions, the current study explored the factors underlying individual differences in the extent and nature of the malleability of numerosity estimation performance as a result of calibration in a sample of 71 undergraduate students. We found that individual differences in performance were reliable across conditions, and participants' responses to calibration varied greatly. Participants who were less consistent or had more proportionally spaced (i.e., linear) estimates before calibration tended to shift the distributions of their estimates to a greater extent. Higher calculation competence also predicted an increase in how linear participants' estimates were after calibration. Moreover, the effect of calibration was not continuous across numerosities within participants. This suggests that the mechanisms underlying numeral-numerosity mappings may be less systematic than previously thought and likely depend on cognitive mechanisms beyond representation of numerosities. Taken together, the mappings between numerosities and numerical symbols may not be stable and direct, but transient and mediated by task-related (e.g., strategic) mechanisms. Rather than estimation skills being foundational for math competence, math competence may also influence estimation skills. Therefore, numerosity estimation tasks are not a pure measure of number representations.

SUBMITTER: Yeo DJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7893812 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Malleability of mappings between Arabic numerals and approximate quantities: Factors underlying individual differences and the relation to math.

Yeo Darren J DJ Wilkey Eric D ED Price Gavin R GR

Acta psychologica 20190714

Humans tend to be inaccurate and inconsistent when estimating a large number of objects. Furthermore, we modify our estimates when feedback or a reference array is provided, indicating that the mappings between perceived numerosity and their corresponding numerals are largely malleable in response to calibration. However, there is great variability in response to calibration across individuals. Using uncalibrated and calibrated numerosity estimation conditions, the current study explored the fac ...[more]

PMID: 31310890

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Project description:Previous studies, which examined whether symbolic and non-symbolic quantity representations are processed by two independent systems or by one common system, reached contradicting findings, possibly due to methodological differences. Indeed, some researchers advocate the two systems approach, based on the presence of notation-specific switch cost in conditions where adults have to compare pairs of symbolic and non-symbolic quantities, in combination with the absence of such a cost in conditions containing quantities of the same notation. However, other researchers used matching instructions, and reported a facilitation in the mixed notation conditions, suggesting that the two systems are automatically integrated. In the current study, we conducted three experiments, in which we examined the existence of two separate quantity systems, but we used various experimental manipulations (e.g., task instructions, presentation order) to unravel the previous inconsistent findings. In Experiment 1, we investigated the role of task instructions by presenting participants with pure and mixed notation trials with both comparison and matching tasks. In Experiment 2, we tested the role of blocked and randomized presentation order for the pure and mixed trials. Our data showed that cost for switching between the symbolic and non-symbolic quantities is present, but is prone to a certain methodological drawback: when the differences between the processing times for two sequentially presented stimuli of different notations are not taken into account, this masks the cost for switching between the two systems. To overcome this problem, in Experiment 3 we used an audio-visual paradigm. Overall, our results provide further evidence for the existence of distinct quantity representations, independently of task instructions or presentation order. Additionally, considering this methodological pitfall we argue that the audio-visual paradigm is better suited when investigating the integration between symbolic and non- symbolic quantities.

Dataset Information

Malleability of mappings between Arabic numerals and approximate quantities: Factors underlying individual differences and the relation to math.

Publications

Malleability of mappings between Arabic numerals and approximate quantities: Factors underlying individual differences and the relation to math.

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