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11-04-2021 | Original Article

Nonsymbolic and symbolic representations of null numerosity

Auteurs: Rut Zaks-Ohayon, Michal Pinhas, Joseph Tzelgov

Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research | Uitgave 2/2022

Abstract

Previous research has shown that null numerosity can be processed as a numerical entity that is represented together with non-null numerosities on the same magnitude system. The present study examined which conditions enable perceiving nonsymbolic (i.e., an empty set) and symbolic (i.e., 0) representations of null numerosity as a numerical entity, using distance and end effects. In Experiment 1, participants performed magnitude comparisons of notation homogeneous pairs (both numerosities appeared in nonsymbolic or symbolic format), as well as heterogeneous pairs (a nonsymbolic numerosity versus a symbolic one). Comparisons to 0 resulted in faster responses and an attenuated distance effect in all conditions, whereas comparisons to an empty set produced such effects only in the nonsymbolic and symbolic homogeneous conditions. In Experiments 2 and 3, participants performed same/different numerosity judgments with heterogeneous pairs. A distance effect emerged for "different" judgments of 0 and sets of 1 to 9 dots, but not for those with an empty set versus digits 1–9. These findings indicate that perceiving an empty set, but not 0, as a numerical entity is determined by notation homogeneity and task requirements.

vorige artikel Two processing stages of the SNARC effect

volgende artikel Age-related changes in visual encoding strategy preferences during a spatial memory task

Furthermore, visual inspection of the data in the symbolic block (see Figure 2, left panel) suggests that the distance effect found for comparisons to empty sets may stem from a significant linear decrease primarily explained by the RT difference between an intrapair distance of 1 and all other intrapair distances, instead of reflecting a gradual linear decrease with the increase in the intrapair distance. An intrapair distance of 1 in comparisons to null numerosity corresponds to a comparison between two semantic end-values, that is, 0 and 1. Such a comparison may be conflicting, thus resulting in longer RTs (Pinhas et al., 2015; Pinhas & Tzelgov, 2012). To examine this impression statistically, we reanalyzed both comparisons to null numerosity and other comparisons in each of the homogeneous blocks excluding an intrapair distance of 1. In each of these four conditions, we examined the significance of the linear trend to evaluate the presence of a distance effect. Comparisons to null numerosity resulted in significant linear trends in both the symbolic block, F(1, 23) = 12.48, MSE = 88.21, p = .004, η²_p = .27, and nonsymbolic block, F(1, 23) = 71.12, MSE = 61.88, p < .001, η²_p = .82. Similarly, significant linear trends were obtained for other comparisons in the symbolic block, F(1, 23) = 8.17, MSE = 206, p < .001, η²_p = .09) and nonsymbolic block, F(1, 23) = 54.46, MSE = 371, p < .001, η²_p = .48.

The error rate analyses in the same/different tasks of both Experiments 2 and 3 indicated an increase in the error rates as a function of an increase in the presented numerosity for “same” responses. These findings reflect the inaccuracy of the estimation process in larger quantities. “Different” responses rarely resulted in errors and, thus, their analyses did not result in significant effects. Accordingly, the error rate analyses revealed no speed-accuracy trade-offs or significant effects. Therefore, for the sake of brevity, they were not reported.

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Titel: Nonsymbolic and symbolic representations of null numerosity
Auteurs: Rut Zaks-Ohayon
Michal Pinhas
Joseph Tzelgov
Publicatiedatum: 11-04-2021
Uitgeverij: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Gepubliceerd in: Psychological Research / Uitgave 2/2022
Print ISSN: 0340-0727
Elektronisch ISSN: 1430-2772
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-021-01515-4

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