Children’s spatial–numerical associations on horizontal, vertical, and sagittal axes

Cooney, Sarah; Holmes, Corinne A.; Newell, Fiona N.

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105169

Cited by 12 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…The present results are partially consistent with recent studies reporting flexible SNARC effects in both adults and children (Aleotti et al, 2020; Cooney et al, 2021). In these experiments, motor responses were spatially grounded by using an external apparatus specifically designed for the task.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Spatio–Numerical Mapping in 3D

Bourgaux

Hevia

Charras

2023

Experimental Psychology

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The close link between number and space is illustrated by the Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC) effect. The current research focuses on the flexibility of the SNARC across three dimensions. Shaki and Fischer (2018) pointed out that spatial attributes of stimuli and response effectors can favor an ad hoc spatial representation. In this paper, we aimed to broaden this perspective using two Go/NoGo experiments with digits being presented at two spatial locations while a central response was required. In Experiment 1, stimuli appeared either to the left or right (horizontal) and below or above fixation (vertical). In Experiment 2, as the monitor was laying down flat on the desk, stimuli appeared either to the left or right (horizontal) and either close or far from the observer (midsagittal). The results of Experiment 1 show significant effects for the two dimensions (horizontal, vertical), while in Experiment 2, we observe only a barely significant effect for the sagittal axis. We interpret these findings as showing (1) the importance of motor response spatialization in eliciting the SNAs and (2) the dominance of the vertical axis over the horizontal when the spatial component of the motor response is removed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

Spatio–Numerical Mapping in 3D

Bourgaux

Hevia

Charras

2023

Experimental Psychology

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“…On the basis of these findings, one might therefore assume that it is not only the sagittal and the horizontal, but also the vertical (below, above) dimension to which preschool children may mentally assign numerical magnitudes. Relatedly, findings from a recent study indicated spatial-numerical mapping of similar strength on sagittal, horizontal, as well as vertical axes in five-to nine-year-old children (Cooney et al, 2021, for a review see also Winter et al, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Children’s use of egocentric reference frames in spatial language is related to their numerical magnitude understanding

et al. 2022

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Numerical magnitude information is assumed to be spatially represented in the form of a mental number line defined with respect to a body-centred, egocentric frame of reference. In this context, spatial language skills such as mastery of verbal descriptions of spatial position (e.g., in front of, behind, to the right/left) have been proposed to be relevant for grasping spatial relations between numerical magnitudes on the mental number line. We examined 4- to 5-year-old’s spatial language skills in tasks that allow responses in egocentric and allocentric frames of reference, as well as their relative understanding of numerical magnitude (assessed by a number word comparison task). In addition, we evaluated influences of children’s absolute understanding of numerical magnitude assessed by their number word comprehension (montring different numbers using their fingers) and of their knowledge on numerical sequences (determining predecessors and successors as well as identifying missing dice patterns of a series). Results indicated that when considering responses that corresponded to the egocentric perspective, children’s spatial language was associated significantly with their relative numerical magnitude understanding, even after controlling for covariates, such as children’s SES, mental rotation skills, and also absolute magnitude understanding or knowledge on numerical sequences. This suggests that the use of egocentric reference frames in spatial language may facilitate spatial representation of numbers along a mental number line and thus seem important for preschoolers’ relative understanding of numerical magnitude.

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“…Participants are assumed to be required to judge the parity of numbers and use the “left‐odd and right‐even” rule to make a response. When a small number (e.g., 2) is presented, it automatically activates the magnitude representation of this digit (Aleotti et al, 2020; Cooney et al, 2021; Didino et al, 2019; Gevers et al, 2010; Gevers, Lammertyn, et al, 2006; Gevers, Ratinckx, et al, 2006; Hartmann et al, 2019; Herrera et al, 2008; Sixtus et al, 2019; Vicovaro & Dalmaso, 2020; Weis et al, 2018; Wu et al, 2020; Yu et al, 2020) and spatial attention (Nikolaev et al, 2020; Rasoulzadeh et al, 2021; Sahan et al, 2022; Van Dijck et al, 2014). The numerical magnitude representation quickly activates the verbal concept of “small number” and the linked “left” concept (Gevers et al, 2010).…”

Section: Cognitive Control In Two Stages Of the Snarc Effectmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of cognitive control in the SNARC effect: A review

Zhang

Cao

2022

PsyCh Journal

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The spatial‐numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect, in which people respond to small numbers faster with the left hand and to large numbers faster with the right hand, is a popular topic in cognitive psychology. Some well‐known theoretical accounts explaining this effect include the mental number line model, polarity correspondence principle, dual‐route model, and working memory account. However, these fail to explain the finding that the size of the SNARC effect is modulated by cognitive control. Here, we propose a new account—a cognitive control‐based view of the SNARC effect. This view argues that the SNARC effect is fundamentally determined by cognitive control in resolving conflicts during stimulus–response mapping. Several subcomponents of cognitive control, such as working memory, mental or task set shifting, inhibition control, and conflict adaptation, can easily modulate the SNARC effect. The cognitive control‐based view can account for the flexible SNARC effect observed in diverse task situations while providing new insight into its mechanism.

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Children’s spatial–numerical associations on horizontal, vertical, and sagittal axes

Cited by 12 publications

References 59 publications

Spatio–Numerical Mapping in 3D

Spatio–Numerical Mapping in 3D

Children’s use of egocentric reference frames in spatial language is related to their numerical magnitude understanding

The role of cognitive control in the SNARC effect: A review

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