Spatial numerosity discrimination as contingent upon sensory and extrinsic factors

Lechelt, Eugene C.

doi:10.3758/bf03205783

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 43 publications

(29 reference statements)

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“…This finding is also consistent with Lechelt's (1971) proposal that frequency estimates may be biased when the number of events exceeds the span of comprehension and are not counted. However, the fame availability effect was smaller when participants initially classified names for gender than when they just listened.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The Availability Heuristic: Effects of Fame and Gender on the Estimated Frequency of Male and Female Names

McKelvie

1997

The Journal of Social Psychology

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In two experiments, Canadian undergraduates heard a list of 13 male names and 13 female names; then they estimated how many male and female names there seemed to be. In Experiment 1, the list consisted of 26 famous names or 26 nonfamous names. Both male and female participants gave similar estimates for the number of male and female names, contradicting hypotheses of a bias toward males or toward one's own gender. In Experiment 2, where the list contained names of famous men and nonfamous women or names of famous women and nonfamous men, participants gave higher estimates for the gender that was famous (effect size d = 0.78). This result confirmed Tversky and Kahneman's (1973) fame availability effect and showed it to be moderate to large in size.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The Availability Heuristic: Effects of Fame and Gender on the Estimated Frequency of Male and Female Names

McKelvie

1997

The Journal of Social Psychology

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“…Alternatively, it is possible that the large spacing used in the present experiment deleteriously affected the participants' ability to group the stimuli into recognizable patterns (see, e.g., , thus resulting in a reduction of any difference between the subitizing and counting ranges. Interestingly, it has been shown, using a relatively small display (covering no more than 3.8˚ of visual angle), that a significant divergence from veridical responding occurs when more than six objects are presented visually at the same time (Lechelt, 1971). This result might be taken to support the view that the size of the display (or rather, the magnitude of the interstimulus spacing) may influence the number of stimuli that can be reported accurately at any one time.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 72%

Multisensory numerosity judgments for visual and tactile stimuli

Gallace

Tan

Spence

2007

Perception & Psychophysics

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“…The link between subitizing and sensory physiological processes is further strengthened by Thompson et al's (1970) finding that cells in the cortical association areas of the cat code the property of small number of flashes and by Harter and White's (1967) report of a relation between cortical evoked potential waveforms and the number of flashes presented to human observers. Lechelt (1971) and Nelson and Lechelt (1970) conjecture further that when subjects only briefly inspect arrays of stimulus numerosity exceeding approximately six, they change from a purely sensory to a more perceptual response mode and use an estimation number-reckoning strategy. That is, when the stimulus number or presentation rate exceeds sensory processing capability (exceeds the span of attention) factors over and above sensory ones become operative.…”

Section: Department Of Psychology University Of Alberta Edmonton Amentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the basis of studies on the effects of stimulus salience on the discrimination of stimulus number in the visual system, under both temporally restricted and extended visual inspection periods, Lechelt (1971) and Nelson and Lechelt (1970) suggest that the three number-reckoning strategies of subitizing, estimating, and counting reflect stimulus processing at sensory, perceptual, and cognitive levels, respectively. More specifically, they argue that subitizing, the process governing the immediate accurate discrimination of small numbers, has a basis for explanation in the Bunsen-Roscoe Law, which is customarily explained on the basis of transduction in the receptor cell.…”

Section: Department Of Psychology University Of Alberta Edmonton Amentioning

confidence: 99%

Numerical competence in animals: Definitional issues, current evidence, and a new research agenda

1988

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Numerical competence is one of the many aspects of animal cognition that have enjoyed a resurgence of interest during the past decade. Evidence for numerical abilities in animals has followed a tortuous path to respectability, however, from Clever Hans, the counting horse, to modern experimental studies. Recent surveys of the literaturereveal theoretical as well as definitional confusion arising from inconsistent terminology for numerical processes and procedures. The term “counting” has been applied to situations having little to do with its meaning in the human literature. We propose a consistent vocabulary and theoretical framework for evaluating numerical competence. Relative numerousness judgments, subitizing, counting, and estimation may be the essential processes by which animals perform numerical discriminations. Ordinality, cardinality, and transitivity also play an important role in these processes. Our schema is applied to a variety of recent experimental situations. Some evidence of transfer is essential in demonstrating higher-order ability such as counting or “sense of number.” Those instances of numerical competence in which all viable alternatives to counting (e.g., subitizing) have been precluded, but no evidence of transfer has been demonstrated might be described as “protocounting.” To show that animals are capable of “true” counting future research will have to demonstrate generality across situations.

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Spatial numerosity discrimination as contingent upon sensory and extrinsic factors

Cited by 14 publications

References 43 publications

The Availability Heuristic: Effects of Fame and Gender on the Estimated Frequency of Male and Female Names

The Availability Heuristic: Effects of Fame and Gender on the Estimated Frequency of Male and Female Names

Multisensory numerosity judgments for visual and tactile stimuli

Numerical competence in animals: Definitional issues, current evidence, and a new research agenda

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