Abstract
Current theories of mathematical cognition offer competing accounts of the interplay between encoding and calculation in mental arithmetic. Additive models propose that manipulations of problem format do not interact with the cognitive processes used in calculation. Alternatively, interactive models suppose that format manipulations have a direct effect on calculation processes. In the present study, we tested these competing models by fitting participants' RT distributions in an arithmetic verification task with a single-boundary accumulator model (the shifted Wald distribution). We found that in addition to providing a more complete description of RT distributions, the accumulator model afforded a potentially more sensitive test of format effects. Specifically, we found that format affected drift rate, which implies that problem format has a direct impact on calculation processes. These data give further support for an interactive model of mental arithmetic.
Highlights
Response times (RTs) have long held a privileged status as one of the primary behavioral measures in cognitive research (Luce, 1986)
The purpose of the present paper is to extend this work and weigh in on a long-standing debate concerning the independence of encoding and calculation. We accomplish this by fitting distributions of RTs in a mental addition task with a mathematical model known as a shifted Wald distribution and subsequently assessing the effects of format and problem size manipulations on the parameters of these distributions
To facilitate model fitting by removing potential contaminant trials, we removed any trial for which RT was below three and above six median absolute deviations (MAD) from the overall median (Leys et al, 2013)
Summary
Response times (RTs) have long held a privileged status as one of the primary behavioral measures in cognitive research (Luce, 1986). Their role in inferring mental processes has become so ubiquitous that the justification of their use is rarely questioned. The purpose of the present paper is to extend this work and weigh in on a long-standing debate concerning the independence of encoding and calculation We accomplish this by fitting distributions of RTs in a mental addition task with a mathematical model known as a shifted Wald distribution and subsequently assessing the effects of format and problem size manipulations on the parameters of these distributions
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
