Abstract
Simple multiplication facts are thought to be organised in a network structure in which problems and solutions are associated. Converging evidence suggests that the ability for solving symbolic arithmetic problems is based on an approximate number system (ANS). Most theoretical stances concerning the metric underlying the ANS converge on the assumption that the representational overlap between two adjacent numbers increases as the numerical magnitude of the numbers increases. Given a number N, the overlap between N and N+. 1 is larger than the overlap between N and N-. 1. Here, we test whether this asymmetric overlap influences the activation spreading within the multiplication associative network (MAN). When verifying simple multiplication problems such as 8. ×. 4 participants were slower in rejecting false but related outcomes that were larger than the actual outcome (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 36) than rejecting smaller related outcomes (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 28), despite comparable numerical distance from the correct result (here: 4). This effect was absent for outcomes which are not part of either operands table (e.g., 8. ×. 4. =. 35). These results suggest that the metric of the ANS influences the activation spreading within the MAN, further substantiating the notion that symbolic arithmetic is grounded in the ANS.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-8 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | Cognition |
| Volume | 141 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2015 |
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Keywords
- Mental number line
- Multiplication associative network
- Result verification task
- Semantic representation of numerosities
- Symbolic magnitude representation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Linguistics and Language
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Language and Linguistics
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
Cite this
Asymmetric activation spreading in the multiplication associative network due to asymmetric overlap between numerosities semantic representations? / Didino, Daniele; Knops, André; Vespignani, Francesco; Kornpetpanee, Suchada.
In: Cognition, Vol. 141, 01.08.2015, p. 1-8.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Asymmetric activation spreading in the multiplication associative network due to asymmetric overlap between numerosities semantic representations?
AU - Didino, Daniele
AU - Knops, André
AU - Vespignani, Francesco
AU - Kornpetpanee, Suchada
PY - 2015/8/1
Y1 - 2015/8/1
N2 - Simple multiplication facts are thought to be organised in a network structure in which problems and solutions are associated. Converging evidence suggests that the ability for solving symbolic arithmetic problems is based on an approximate number system (ANS). Most theoretical stances concerning the metric underlying the ANS converge on the assumption that the representational overlap between two adjacent numbers increases as the numerical magnitude of the numbers increases. Given a number N, the overlap between N and N+. 1 is larger than the overlap between N and N-. 1. Here, we test whether this asymmetric overlap influences the activation spreading within the multiplication associative network (MAN). When verifying simple multiplication problems such as 8. ×. 4 participants were slower in rejecting false but related outcomes that were larger than the actual outcome (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 36) than rejecting smaller related outcomes (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 28), despite comparable numerical distance from the correct result (here: 4). This effect was absent for outcomes which are not part of either operands table (e.g., 8. ×. 4. =. 35). These results suggest that the metric of the ANS influences the activation spreading within the MAN, further substantiating the notion that symbolic arithmetic is grounded in the ANS.
AB - Simple multiplication facts are thought to be organised in a network structure in which problems and solutions are associated. Converging evidence suggests that the ability for solving symbolic arithmetic problems is based on an approximate number system (ANS). Most theoretical stances concerning the metric underlying the ANS converge on the assumption that the representational overlap between two adjacent numbers increases as the numerical magnitude of the numbers increases. Given a number N, the overlap between N and N+. 1 is larger than the overlap between N and N-. 1. Here, we test whether this asymmetric overlap influences the activation spreading within the multiplication associative network (MAN). When verifying simple multiplication problems such as 8. ×. 4 participants were slower in rejecting false but related outcomes that were larger than the actual outcome (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 36) than rejecting smaller related outcomes (e.g. 8. ×. 4. =. 28), despite comparable numerical distance from the correct result (here: 4). This effect was absent for outcomes which are not part of either operands table (e.g., 8. ×. 4. =. 35). These results suggest that the metric of the ANS influences the activation spreading within the MAN, further substantiating the notion that symbolic arithmetic is grounded in the ANS.
KW - Mental number line
KW - Multiplication associative network
KW - Result verification task
KW - Semantic representation of numerosities
KW - Symbolic magnitude representation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928107042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84928107042&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cognition.2015.04.002
DO - 10.1016/j.cognition.2015.04.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84928107042
VL - 141
SP - 1
EP - 8
JO - Cognition
JF - Cognition
SN - 0010-0277
ER -