The spatial–numerical association of response codes effect and math skills: why related?

Abstract

Evidence from multiple studies conducted in the past few decades converges on the conclusion that numerical properties can be associated with specific directions in space. Such spatial-numerical associations (SNAs), as a signature of elementary number processing, seem to be a likely correlate of math skills. Nevertheless, almost three decades of research on the spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect, the hallmark of SNAs, has not provided conclusive results on whether there is a relation with math skills. Here, going beyond reviewing the existing literature on the topic, we try to answer a more fundamental question about why the SNARC effect should (and should not) be related to math skills. We propose a multiroute model framework for a SNARC-math skills relationship. We conclude that the relationship is not straightforward and that several other factors should be considered, which under certain circumstances or in certain groups can cause effects of opposite directions. The model can account for conflicting results, and thus may be helpful for deriving predictions in future studies.

Professional mathematicians do not differ from others in the symbolic numerical distance and size effects

“…In the case of all these group level effects (and lacks thereof), the BFs remained inconclusive. Similar to the main analysis, there were no between group differences in the NSE, F (3,49) = 0.40, p = .756, etap2 = .02, BF10 = 0.15.…”

A gifted SNARC? Directional spatial-numerical associations in gifted children with high level math skills do not differ from controls

“…elementary spatial mapping of numbers might be related to the efficiency of more advanced number processing such as arithmetic (see Cipora, He, & Nuerk, 2020b). Note that similar discussions on whether high / low cognitive ability in a specific domain modulates other processes and representations are present in other domains of cognitive psychology as well, and similar to this discussion, they also do not bring very consistent results.…”

“…Potentially, one could use the interference measure in the physical size condition as a measure of automatic magnitude processing of numbers (numerical magnitude affects the decisions about physical size of presented digits). However, at the same time, the observed effect is not only measuring automatic number magnitude processing, but also the efficiency of inhibition processes (see Cipora et al, 2020b). On one hand, we could expect the gifted children to process magnitude automatically (assuming there are still any differences in that respect), but also we would expect them to have more efficient inhibition and interference control processes.…”

“…ways to quantify math / arithmetic skill used across studies). Specifically, to the best of our knowledge, there are eleven published studies investigating the relationship between the SNARC effect and math skills in adults (review by Cipora et al, 2018b does not consider three adult studies; Cipora et al, 2019aand Toomarian, Meng, & Hubbard, 2019 which were published afterwards; see also Table 1 in Cipora et al, 2020b for a complete overview). Out of these, eight studies (Dehaene et al, 1993, Exp.…”

“…(1) differences in automatic magnitude processing, and (2) representation abstractness. This idea was recently elaborated in a model framework by Cipora et al (2020b). The model suggests multiple mechanisms on why the SNARC effect should or should not be related to math skills.…”