Attention to numerosity varies across individuals and task contexts

Mazzocco, Michèle M.M.; Chan, Jenny Yun‐Chen; Bye, Jeffrey K.; Padrutt, Emily R.; Praus-Singh, Taylor L.; Lukowski, Sarah L.; Brown, Ethan; Olson, Rachel E.

doi:10.1080/10986065.2020.1818467

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…For example, when asked to find the best match for a set of two yellow stars, most children would pick a set depicting stars or shapes that are yellow over a set depicting two objects. These results show that young children prefer to focus on individual object properties and not set size (Chan & Mazzocco, 2017;Mazzocco et al, 2020, Mix, 2008, Mix, 1999.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Three yellow stars and three red hearts: Can subset-knowers learn number word meanings from multiple exemplars?

Wege,

Merkley,

Jasim

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Numerous studies have shown that number word learning is a protracted process. One challenge facing children learning the meaning of number word such as “one”, “two”, or “three” is that number words refer to a property of a set and not to individual objects. In this study, we focused on a sample of children who have not learned the meaning of small number words such as “two” and “three” and tested whether children could learn number words from examples of sets that help them focus on set size. Specifically, the experimental training condition included examples that highlight a common relational structure between sets through varying object properties in the sets (e.g., three yellow stars and three red hearts are both “three”), whereas the control condition did not vary object properties(e.g., two sets of three yellow stars with different spatial arrangement). We trained two- and three-knowers (N = 65) on the next number (i.e., three or four) and assessed their learning with a Two-Alternative-Forced-Choice task and Give-a-Number task. Overall, we found weak effects of training. We discuss our findings in the broader literature on number word learning and explore the possibility of analogical reasoning as a mechanism of number word learning.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Three yellow stars and three red hearts: Can subset-knowers learn number word meanings from multiple exemplars?

Wege,

Merkley,

Jasim

et al. 2024

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…For example, when asked to find the best match for a set of two yellow stars, most children would pick a set depicting stars or shapes that are yellow over a set depicting two objects. Young children prefer to focus on individual object properties but not set size (Chan & Mazzocco, 2017;Mazzocco et al, 2020, Mix, 2008, Mix, 1999. How, then, do young children learn that "three" refers to a set of three things regardless of what those things are?…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

What does ‘three’ look like? Analogical reasoning in early number word acquisition

Wege¹,

Merkley²,

Ansari³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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The meaning of numbers is a difficult concept for young children to grasp. They have to learn that numbers don’t refer to any property that an individual object can have, such as color, but refer to an abstract relation between sets of objects, set size. Here, we tested whether children could learn number words from examples of sets that support inference via structural alignment. We trained two- and three-knowers (N = 65) on the next number (i.e. three or four) and assessed their learning with a two-alternative-forced-choice task and Give-a-Number task. Compared to children who received a control training, children who saw examples that support inference via structural alignment demonstrated slightly better outcomes. We discuss this result in light of analogical reasoning as a mechanism of concept learning in general and number learning in particular.

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Spontaneous focusing on numerical order and numerical skills of 3- to 4-year-old children

Harju,

Van Hoof,

Nanu

et al. 2024

Educ Stud Math

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Recent studies have highlighted the importance of ordinality skills in early numerical development. Here, we investigate individual differences in ordering sets of items and suggest that children might also differ in their tendency to spontaneously recognize and use numerical order in everyday situations. This study investigated the individual differences in 3- to 4-year-old children’s tendency to spontaneously focus on numerical order (SFONO), and their association with early numerical skills. One hundred fifty children were presented with three SFONO tasks designed as play-like activities, where numerical order was one aspect that could be focused on. In addition, the children were administered tasks addressing spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON), numerical ordering, cardinality recognition, and number sequence production. Our results showed that children had substantial individual differences in all measures, including SFONO tendency. Children’s SFONO tendency was associated with their early numerical skills. To further investigate the association between SFONO tendency and numerical ordering skills, a hierarchical regression was conducted for a group of children who could successfully order sets from one to three at a minimum and were regarded as likely having the requisite skills to spontaneously focus on numerical order. The findings reveal that SFONO tendency had a unique contribution to children’s numerical ordering skills, even after controlling for age, cardinality recognition, and number sequence production. The results suggest that SFONO tendency potentially plays a relevant role in children’s numerical development.

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Attention to numerosity varies across individuals and task contexts

Cited by 6 publications

References 17 publications

Three yellow stars and three red hearts: Can subset-knowers learn number word meanings from multiple exemplars?

Three yellow stars and three red hearts: Can subset-knowers learn number word meanings from multiple exemplars?

What does ‘three’ look like? Analogical reasoning in early number word acquisition

Spontaneous focusing on numerical order and numerical skills of 3- to 4-year-old children

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