Abstract
The approximate number system (ANS) theory and the ANS mapping account have been the most prominent theories on non-symbolic numerosity processing and symbolic number processing respectively, over the last 20 years. Recently, there is a growing debate about these theories, mainly based on research in adults. However, whether the ANS theory and ANS mapping account explain the processing of non-symbolic numerosity and symbolic number in childhood has received little attention. In the current ERP study, we first examined whether non-symbolic numerosity processing in 9-to-12-year-old children (N = 34) is intuitive, as proposed by the ANS theory. Second, we examined whether symbolic number processing is rooted in non-symbolic numerosity processing, as proposed the ANS mapping account. ERPs were measured during four same-different match-to-sample tasks with non-symbolic numerosities, symbolic numbers, and combinations of both. We found no evidence for intuitive processing of non-symbolic numerosity. Instead, children processed the visual features of non-symbolic stimuli more automatically than the numerosity itself. Moreover, children do not seem to automatically activate non-symbolic numerosity when processing symbolic numbers. These results challenge the ANS theory and ANS mapping account in 9-to-12-year-old children.
Highlights
Numerical processing is an important early marker of mathematical performance (e.g., Schneider et al, 2017)
The aim of the present study was to examine whether the ANS theory and ANS mapping account do underlie non-symbolic numerosity processing and symbolic number processing in children
The first aim of the present study was to examine whether nonsymbolic numerosity processing in 9-to-12-year-old children is intuitive and relatively fast, in line with the ANS theory (Dehaene, 1997), or whether visual properties of stimuli play a role in processing the numerosity, in line with the sensoryintegration theory (Gebuis et al, 2016; Gevers et al, 2016)
Summary
Numerical processing is an important early marker of mathematical performance (e.g., Schneider et al, 2017). Children’s Numerosity and Number Processing processing is the ANS (approximate number system) theory This theory states that approximate numerosity, i.e., the number of objects in a set, is intuitively extracted when one is confronted with a set of objects, such as a dot pattern (Dehaene, 1997). This means that the visual properties of a set of objects are removed or normalized, such that the numerosity of the set can be established, and that this process goes without much effort. An event-related potential (ERP)-paradigm was employed to gain insight into the processing of non-symbolic numerosity and symbolic number
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