From Subitizing to Counting

Abstract

The present research investigated how visual processing differs when individuals subitize versus count. We obtained the negligible slopes characteristic of subitizing only in the conditions in which viewers were expected to subitize (scenes presented either without distractors or with only simple distractors). We observed non-linear viewing times. Differences in fixation patterns across scene types became greater as the number of target items increased, rather than vanishing for large numerosities as would be expected from the traditional view of subitizing. Inspection of patterns of fixation supported the idea that pre-attentive processes play a substantial role in processing when targets are few in number, easy to locate, and easy to discriminate from each other.