No Intrinsic Number Bias: Evaluating the Role of Perceptual Discriminability in Magnitude Categorization

Autor/inn/en	Aulet, Lauren S.; Lourenco, Stella F.
Titel	No Intrinsic Number Bias: Evaluating the Role of Perceptual Discriminability in Magnitude Categorization
Quelle	In: Developmental Science, 26 (2023) 2, (17 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Aulet, Lauren S.)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1363-755X
DOI	10.1111/desc.13305
Schlagwörter	Number Concepts; Mathematics Skills; Discrimination Learning; Preferences; Bias; Adults; Children; Classification; Stimuli + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Number concept; Zahlbegriff; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematics ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Lernen; Lernprozess; Child; Kind; Kinder; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Anreizsystem
Abstract	Accumulating evidence suggests that there is a spontaneous preference for numerical, compared to non-numerical (e.g., cumulative surface area), information. However, given a paucity of research on the perception of non-numerical magnitudes, it is unclear whether this preference reflects a specific bias towards number, or a general bias towards the more perceptually discriminable dimension (i.e., number). Here, we found that when the number and area of visual dot displays were matched in mathematical ratio, number was more perceptually discriminable than area in both adults and children. Moreover, both adults and children preferentially categorized these ratio-matched stimuli based on number, consistent with previous work. However, when number and area were matched in perceptual discriminability, a different pattern of results emerged. In particular, children preferentially categorized stimuli based on area, suggesting that children's previously observed number bias may be due to a mismatch in the perceptual discriminability of number and area, not an intrinsic salience of number. Interestingly, adults continued to categorize the displays on the basis of number. Altogether, these findings suggest a dominant role for area during childhood, refuting the claim that number is inherently and uniquely salient. Yet they also reveal an increased salience of number that emerges over development. Potential explanations for this developmental shift are discussed. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01