Approximate number acuity(number sense) refers to the intuitive ability to recognize and estimate numerosity(the number of objects in a set). Researchers have assumed that this ability related to evolutional history of human. Previous studies demonstr...
Approximate number acuity(number sense) refers to the intuitive ability to recognize and estimate numerosity(the number of objects in a set). Researchers have assumed that this ability related to evolutional history of human. Previous studies demonstrated that individuals who have accurate number acuity have higher mathematical achievement, leading to the hypothesis that number acuity provides a basis for not only approximate, nonverbal numerical processing but also for formal mathematical education. However, these studies did not consider differentiation between different domains of mathematics. In addition, a Theory of Magnitude by Walsh proposed that number, space and time are processed by a common analog magnitude system. Therefore, the present study investigated the correlation between approximate number acuity and continuous magnitude acuity(length acuity) and its relation to two different aspects of mathematic achievement; mathematical reasoning vs. arithmetic.
In experiment 1 and 2, we tested both arithmetic and mathematical reasoning and examined their correlations with approximate number and length acuity. The numerosity and length comparison tasks were used to examine an individual’s approximate number and length acuity which required subjects to quickly indicate which set of dots or which line was greater in munber or longer. In the numerosity compasion task, trials were divided into two control conditions: 1)AREA controlled condition in which the total area occupied by each set of dots were equivalent 2)SIZE controlled condition in which the average size of dots were equivalent across sets.
Length discrimination performance was significantly better than that of numerosity. Also, length acuity was significantly correlated with number acuity in the SIZE controlled condition but not in the AREA controlled condition. The numerosity comparison performance was significantly better in the SIZE controlled compared to the AREA controlled condition. This indicates that the SIZE controlled condition seems to provide a readily accessible cue from continuous magnitude (i.e., cumulative area).
Number acuity from the AREA Controlled condition was positively correlated with Mathematical reasoning but not with Arithmetic scores. Number acuity from the AREA Controlled condition and major were both significant predictors of mathematical reasoning in a multiple regression analysis. Also, the weber fractions from both control conditions were significantly correlated with mathematical reasoning scores. However, numerosity acuity from the SIZE controlled condition and Length acuity was not significantly correlated with either mathematical achievement scores. These results report evidence in support of the hypothesis that number acuity may underlie the development of higher level mathematical cognition. In addition, the individual acuity for continuous and discrete magnitudes seems to be dissociable. The results raises the importance of controlling for the influence of salient continuous variables in numerosity discrimination and the dominating effect of training or practice in measurements of math achievement.
In experiment 3, we added visual mask in the numerosity comparison task to test whether numerical estimation and comparison relies on post-perceptual processes. The results showed that approximate number acuity deteriorated when a visual mask was presented especially in the AREA controlled condition. This means that numerosity comparison benefits from afterimages or visual working memory representations especially in the absence of cues from continuous visual magnitudes.