Quantity Judgments Research Articles

Hearing "number"?: Relative quantity judgments through the echolocation by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Dolphins are known to recognize their environment through echolocation. Previous studies have reported that they can discriminate the shape, size, thickness, and even material of objects through echolocation. However, little is known about the discrimination of quantities other than size and thickness (e.g., the number of objects). It is also unclear whether Weber's law (i.e., ratio dependency) holds for quantity discrimination through echolocation. In this study, we examined relative quantity judgments of visually occluded objects presented underwater by bottlenose dolphins. We found that they could discriminate pairs of same-sized objects ranging from one to eight, with performance improving as the difference ratio between the two numbers increased. In addition, their performance also improved as the magnitude of the number of objects involved increased. An additional test revealed that the accuracy of discrimination through echolocation was comparable to that of visual relative quantity judgments of the objects presented above water. On the other hand, under the condition that the overall size of each object (i.e., the sum of areas) was incongruent with the number of objects, performance was lower than when number and size were covarying. However, even within the incongruent condition, the effect of the number ratio was still observed, suggesting that the dolphins might have used various types of quantity information, such as number and size, flexibly to solve the task. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Supplemental Material for Hearing “Number”?: Relative Quantity Judgments Through the Echolocation by Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Supplemental Material for Hearing “Number”?: Relative Quantity Judgments Through the Echolocation by Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

Positive intonation increases the perceived value of smaller rewards in a quantity discrimination task with dogs (Canis familiaris).

Like many other species, dogs have a natural quantity judgment system to assist with decision making to maximize resources. Additionally, dogs are highly sensitive to, and influenced by, human-delivered ostensive (i.e., social) cues. Here, we assessed the influence of one such cue-a high, rising, positive "Oooh!" sound-on dogs' choice of differing quantities of pieces of food presented on two different plates. Subjects (N = 29) received 16 randomized trials of four conditions: 1 versus 1 paired with experimenter "Oooh!" while looking at the one plate, 1 versus 3, 3 versus 1 paired with experimenter "Oooh!," and 1 versus 1. As predicted, dogs chose the larger quantity more often in 1 versus 3 conditions. Contrary to one of our predictions, subjects chose the 1 versus 1+ "Oooh!" at chance levels. However, in support of another prediction, pairing the smaller reward with a positive intonation in 3 versus 1+ "Oooh!" significantly reduced dogs' choice of the larger reward. That is to say, without the presence of words, eye contact, or facial expressions, dogs followed a misguiding cue and chose a smaller reward that a stranger had deemed more valuable than a larger one. Local enhancement as well as a drive to increase social capital with the human are discussed as possible explanations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Predicting future sales of vegetable category based on grid search optimized long and short term neural networks

In this study, a method of automatic prediction of vegetable sales volume was proposed by using long and short term neural network (LSTM) to solve the problem of quantity judgment in vegetable supply chain management. This text constructed a trained and optimized LSTM forecasting model by collecting historical sales data and selling and wholesale prices of vegetable markets. After the optimal parameters were determined by grid search, the model underwent 10 training cycles. The model evaluation for each vegetable category led to the following conclusion: the model performed well in predicting sales. By using the evaluation metrics of Mean Square Error (MSE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), it was found that the model predictions were close to the true values. In addition, the prediction results are summarized, showing the model's accurate prediction of vegetable sales volume. The results of the comparison chart between the real and predicted sales volume of each category of vegetables show that the model has good performance and accuracy in predicting the sales volume of vegetables, and the accurate forecast quantity can provide supply chain managers with more accurate inventory replenishment and pricing strategies.

Measurement and optional classifiers in Mandarin Chinese

Abstract This paper presents a compositional analysis of the fact that Mandarin individuating classifiers are systematically optional in various degree constructions (see also Lin & Schaeffer 2018 for experimental evidence), by taking a mixed approach incorporating the insights from Chierchia (1998; 2010) that Mandarin nouns denote kind terms and individuating classifiers offer the level of individuation and those from Krifka (1995) that (bare) numerals do not encode the cardinality function. By considering (bare) numerals as degree terms (e.g., Hackl 2001; Nouwen 2010; Rett 2014; Kennedy 2015, among many others), the mixed approach advocated here embraces the hypothesis that the locus of variation between English and Mandarin lies in neither the semantics of nouns nor that of numerals, but in the measure operators: these linguistic elements (including sortal/individuating classifiers) are necessary to mediate between numerals and nouns to avoid the semantic type-mismatch. The proposed analysis of individuating classifiers not only explains the role of Mandarin individuating classifiers in degree constructions (i.e., their syntactic optionality, along with a semantic variation in the dimension of comparison), but also closely connects with Bale & Barner’s (2009) idea about quantity judgments that comparative constructions can be used as a reliable diagnostic of the mass-count distinction in natural languages beyond English. Specifically, the fact that Mandarin unclassified nouns allow both cardinality and non-cardinality monotonic dimensions in a variety of degree constructions based on quantity judgments indicates that they are mass-count neutral; a tentative semantics of Mandarin nouns for their mass-count neutrality is thus suggested. Some factors leading to the individuation of nouns are also discussed.

The cultural adaptation of quantity judgment tasks in Ghanaian English and Akan

The phenomenon of mass and countability is multifaceted and has been controversially discussed in many disciplines. For linguistics, differences in the morphosyntactic marking of the distinction cross-linguistically, and its cross-cultural ontological-semantic conceptualization are particularly interesting. However, most studies into mass and countability have focused on (American) English, and, to some extent European and Asian languages. African languages and contexts have as yet been neglected by researchinto countability, and the methodological tools employed to study it do not account for the ambient cultural contexts. This paper presents the results of a quantity judgment task designed according to Barner and Snedeker’s (2005) experiment for American English speakers, conducted in Ghanaian English and Akan. The Ghanaian experiments reveal important concerns regarding the stimuli and their applicability, especially to Akan culture. Thus, inspired by other studies into the semantics of Akan, a new set of stimuli is suggested in order to investigate mass and countability contrastively in Ghanaian English and Akan. In this vein, they emphasize the insufficiency of translations with regard to (psycho)linguistic experiments and the importance of proper cultural adaptation.

A signal output quantity (SOQ) judgment algorithm for improving seeding quantity accuracy

It is very important to monitor the seeding quantity in the precision seeding process. However, there is still room for improvement in monitoring accuracy of seeding quantity. One of the important questions is that double overlapping seeds cannot be accurately identified. They are usually counted as single seeds. The sensor signal acquisition and judgment algorithm play a key role in seed recognition and counting. This study mainly focused on the discussion and analysis of signal acquisition and judgment algorithms. Based on the ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) voltage signal acquisition, an analog signal seed sensor has been designed. The peak value judgment algorithm and the mean value judgment algorithm are compared and analyzed. At the same time, a signal output quantity (SOQ) judgment algorithm and calculation model based on ADC signal acquisition have been established. Different from the peak value judgment algorithm and the mean value judgment algorithm, the SOQ judgment algorithm did not focus on the magnitude of the acquired voltage values, but on the quantity of acquired voltage values. The test results showed that the monitoring accuracy of the judgment algorithm and calculation model for single and double overlapping model seeds had reached 100%. In order to test the monitoring accuracy of the judgment algorithm and calculation model for real seeds, maize seeds and mung bean seeds were selected for testing. The results showed that under the condition that the recognition accuracy of single maize seed was 100%, the average recognition accuracy of the double overlapping maize seeds was 91%, and the average monitoring accuracy was 95.5%. And under the condition that the recognition accuracy of single mung bean seed was 100%, the average recognition accuracy of the double overlapping mung bean seeds was 83%, and the average monitoring accuracy was 91.5%. In terms of the monitoring accuracy of double overlapping seeds, the SOQ judgment algorithm has been greatly improved compared with the peak judgment algorithm and the mean judgment algorithm. This provided a new idea for the monitoring of the seeding quantity, and it was also of great help to the improvement of the statistical accuracy of the seeding quantity.

압력용기시험방법에 따른 제5류 위험물의 지정수량 판정방법의 개선에 관한 연구

In this study, a test is conducted to determine the properties of pressure vessels for 10 types of hazardous substances on the market under Article 21 of the Detailed Standards on Hazardous Substance Safety Management (Hydrolysis Criteria, etc.) and examine the appropriateness of the current quantity judgment based on the results. A thermal decomposition test was conducted on 10 types of hazardous substances of Class-5 used and distributed at industrial sites and compared with the designated quantity according to the nomenclature. According to the result, the designated quantity according to the nomenclature and the specified quantity by the pressure vessel test results did not align for some substances. This confirms the current method of determining the designated quantity for Class 5 hazardous substances under the Safety Control of Dangerous Substances Act according to the nomenclature is inadequate. Therefore, it was confirmed that it was appropriate to determine the designated quantity and riskiness for Class 5 hazardous substances based on the results of the test conducted according to the pressure vessel test method, etc., rather than the basis the nomenclature.

Prey quantity discrimination and social experience affect foraging decisions of rock lizards

Animals often face situations that require quantity discrimination for decision-making. Differentiating between more and less amounts might be adaptative in different contexts such as in social relationships, navigation, or foraging. However, feeding close to conspecifics might change foraging behavior decisions due to changes in predation risk perception and competition for resources. Here, we tested the quantity judgment abilities of foraging rock lizards (Iberolacerta cyreni) in a spontaneous choice test between 5 and 10 cricket prey. Lizards tested had been previously housed alone or in a group to examine how social experience affected foraging decisions. Our results showed that “grouped” lizards had greater foraging activity than “solitary” lizards. Furthermore, all lizards demonstrated some ability to discriminate between the two amounts of prey. These results reveal the capability of quantity judgments in rock lizards and also that foraging decisions may be modulated by the previous social experience. The presence of food sources differing in quantity, together with the proximity of conspecifics, can strongly affect foraging decisions. Previous studies showed various levels of quantitative abilities on different taxa, but results with reptiles are scarce and inconsistent. On the other hand, previous research showed that grouping may have a notable effect on foraging behavior. Here, we demonstrate that male rock lizards can discriminate between two amounts of prey and that there is an effect of the previous social experience on foraging behavior, as lizards that had been housed alone showed less interactivity with food. These outcomes reveal the existence of quantitative abilities in lizards and the importance of the previous social experience in foraging decisions.

Giraffes go for more: a quantity discrimination study in giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis).

Many species, including humans, rely on an ability to differentiate between quantities to make decisions about social relationships, territories, and food. This study is the first to investigate whether giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) are able to select the larger of two sets of quantities in different conditions, and how size and density affect these decisions. In Task 1, we presented five captive giraffes with two sets containing a different quantity of identical foods items. In Tasks 2 and 3, we also modified the size and density of the food reward distribution. The results showed that giraffes (i) can successfully make quantity judgments following Weber's law, (ii) can reliably rely on size to maximize their food income, and (iii) are more successful when comparing sparser than denser distributions. More studies on different taxa are needed to understand whether specific selective pressures have favored the evolution of these skills in certain taxa.

The count-mass distinction in Terena

Abstract This paper examines the count-mass distinction in Terena (Aruák, Brazil) by focusing on plural marking availability, numeral and quantifier distribution and cardinal versus volume interpretation in quantity judgment tests. The data collected from the initial research of these features in Terena reveals the relevancy of the count-mass distinction in the language with some signature properties: (i) only count nouns can be directly combined with numerals; (ii) only count nouns can be used with the quantifier êno with the interpretarion of many individuals rather than a large quantity; and finally, (iii) only count nouns can express cardinality of individuals in a comparative sentence such as John has more N than Peter. Plural morpheme distribution is unsuitable for distinguishing count from mass nouns (such as in English) since mass nouns can be pluralized in Terena, provided noun denotations have individuals to allow for number rather than volume quantity interpretation.

The impact of set size on cumulative area judgments

The ability to track number has long been considered more difficult than tracking continuous quantities. Evidence for this claim comes from work revealing that continuous properties (specifically cumulative area) influence numerical judgments, such that adults perform worse on numerical tasks when cumulative area is incongruent with number. If true, then continuous extent tracking abilities should be unimpeded by number. The aim of the present study was to determine the precision with which adults track cumulative area and to uncover the process by which they do so. Across two experiments, we presented adults with arrays of dots and asked them to judge the relative cumulative area of the displays. Participants performed worse and were slower on incongruent trials, in which the more numerous array had the smaller cumulative area. These findings suggest that number interferes with continuous quantity judgments, and that number is at least as salient as continuous variables, undermining claims in the literature that continuous properties are easier to represent, and more salient to adults. Our primary research question, however, pertained to how cumulative area representations were impacted by set size. Results revealed that the area of a single item was tracked much faster and with greater precision than the area of multiple items. However, for sets with more than one item, results revealed less accurate, yet faster responses, as set size increased, suggesting a speed-accuracy trade-off in judgments of cumulative area. Results are discussed in the context of two distinct theories regarding the process of tracking cumulative area.

Lesson study for students with intellectual disability

PurposeThis study aim was to analyze how lesson study can enhance learning for students with intellectual disability, and how teachers' collaboration affects the design and analysis of the intervention.Design/methodology/approachLesson study was used as a methodological framework. Ten special educational needs teachers met the researcher for three collaborative meetings. Between meetings, teachers performed and adjusted a lesson on a particular mathematical issue: quantity and size judgment. To evaluate the lesson design, students completed pre- and post-lesson examinations and attitude tests with Likert-type scales.FindingsStudents' knowledge increased during the study. The mean scores for the first group (six students) were 4.3 in the pre-test and 6.5 in the post-test (effect size 0.9). For the second group (four students), the mean score was 3.8 in the pre-test and 4.3 in the post-test (effect size 0.2). Attitude measurement showed split opinions; seven students had a positive experience and three had a predominantly negative experience. Assessment of teacher certainty using transcribed audio recordings of teachers' statements during the collaborative meetings indicated a positive relation between teacher expressions of certainty and student learning. The teacher–researcher collaboration increased teachers' focus on student learning and deepened the researcher's analysis.Originality/valueThere is an urgent need to explore collaborative development in special educational needs teaching. Lesson study is an effective way of examining teachers' collaborative processes using data on teachers' reasoning about teaching and students' learning.

How Much Sugar is in My Drink? The Power of Visual Cues.

Despite widespread attempts to educate consumers about the dangers of sugar, as well as the advent of nutritional labeling, individuals still struggle to make educated decisions about the foods they eat, and/or to use the Nutrition Facts Panel. This study examined the effect of visual aids on judgments of sugar quantity in popular drinks, and choices. 261 volunteers at four different locations evaluated 11 common beverages. Key measures were estimates of sugar in the drinks, nutrition knowledge, and desire to consume them. In the experimental condition, participants viewed beverages along with test tubes filled with the total amount of sugar in each drink; the control condition had no sugar display. Both groups were encouraged to examine the Nutrition Facts Panel when making their evaluations. Correlational analyses revealed that consumers exposed to the visual aid overestimated sugar content and the length of time needed to exercise to burn off the calories; they also had lower intentions to consume any of the beverages. Individuals asserting to use the Nutrition Facts Panel (NFP) in general were also less likely to admit using it in this particular study (r = −2, p = 0.001). This study suggests that a simple visual aid intervention affected judgments and choices towards curtailing sugar intake. This has implications for labeling format implementation.

O singular nu no inglês e no português brasileiro: abordagens experimentais sobre atomicidade

A partir de uma discussão sobre o papel da atomicidade no domínio da distinção contável-massivo, propomos uma análise para o Singular Nu (SNU) tanto no inglês quanto no português brasileiro (PB). Nosso objetivo é verificar experimentalmente o caráter atômico (ou não) desses sintagmas. Para tanto, analisamos dados de um teste realizado por Scontras, Davidson, Deal e Murray (2017), que mostram que o SNU no inglês enseja principalmente leitura de volume em comparativas. Segundo nossa análise, essa interpretação é explicada como coerção, o que corrobora a denotação do SNU como um predicado atômico nessa língua. Para o caso do SNU no PB, desenvolvemos um teste de julgamento de quantidade, nos moldes de Scontras et al.(2017), para verificar as dimensões usadas na comparação em sentenças com o plural, o nome massivo e o SNU, em oposição a sentenças sem o nome expresso (Quem tem mais?). Os resultados mostram que sentenças com o SNU possuem os mesmos julgamentos de sentenças sem o nome expresso. Argumentamos, então, que o SNU no PB não carrega qualquer traço gramatical de atomicidade, diferentemente do plural e do nome massivo, que carregam traços [+atom] e [-atom] respetivamente.

Quantity judgment and the mass-count distinction across languages: Advances, problems, and future directions for research

We review advances in the experimental study of the mass-count distinction and highlight problems that have emerged. First, we lay out what we see to be the scientific enterprise of studying the syntax and semantics of the mass-count distinction, and the assumptions we believe must be made if additional progress is to occur, especially as the empirical facts continue to grow in number and complexity. Second, we discuss the new landscape of cross-linguistic results that has been created by widespread use of the quantity judgment task, and what these results tell us about the nature of the mass-count distinction. Finally, we discuss the relationship between the mass-count distinction and non-linguistic cognition, and in particular the object-substance distinction.

Nouns are both mass and count: Evidence from unclassified nouns in adult and child Mandarin Chinese

This paper examines the interpretation of unclassified nouns in Mandarin Chinese from the perspective of three theoretical approaches to the mass-count distinction in Mandarin: a lexico-syntactic approach (Doetjes 1997; Cheng & Sybesma 1998), a syntax-driven approach (Borer 2005), and a hybrid approach (Pelletier 2012). Employing a Quantity Judgment Task (Barner & Snedeker 2005), we examined the interpretation of unclassified nouns of different ontological types (count, mass, flexible, object-mass) in both adult and child Mandarin. In order to explain possible interpretational preferences, we also analysed the distributions of the tested nouns in the Chinese Internet Corpus (Sharoff 2006). The results of 27 adults and 55 children (2;11–5;09), together with the corpus data provide strong support for Pelletier. We therefore conclude that Mandarin nouns are semantically both count and mass, and receive a number-based or a volume-based interpretation according to the type of classifier they appear with. However, we argue for one exception in this respect: following Bale & Barner (2009) we assume that nouns of the object-mass type (e.g., furniture) are marked for individualization in the lexicon. Finally, the emergence of adultlike preferences for number-based or volume-based interpretations in child Mandarin is argued to be linked to the acquisition of the classifier system.

The mass-count distinction in Dutch-speaking children with specific language impairment

This study reports experimental data on the acquisition of the mass-count distinction by Dutch-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI). While verbal morphosyntax is known to be impaired in SLI, nominal morphosyntax has received less attention. The mass-count distinction provides an interesting test ground: count can have a plural morpheme: bal-en (‘balls’), but mass cannot: *deeg-en (‘doughs’). Flexible nouns can easily occur in either mass or count syntax (pizza/pizza-s). Finally, object-mass nouns (e.g. furniture) are syntactically mass, but quantify over individuals, and are hypothesized to have a lexical [+individual] feature (Bale & Barner 2004). Typically developing (TD) Dutch-acquiring children become sensitive to the mass-count distinction around age 6 (van Witteloostuijn 2013).Hypothesizing that the primary impairment of SLI is in morphosyntax, and not in lexical-semantics, we predict that Dutch-speaking children with SLI older than 6 have most problems with the interpretation of flexible nouns (relying solely on morphosyntax), some problems interpreting classical count and mass nouns (supported by convention/world knowledge), and least problems interpreting object–mass nouns (relying solely on their lexical [+individual] feature). Quantity judgments based on count and mass nouns were collected from 28 Dutch children with SLI aged between 6 and 14 years old and 28 individually age-matched TD children. Confirming our predictions, the children with SLI scored significantly lower than their TD controls on flexible nouns, and, albeit to a lesser extent, on classical nouns. This underscores the (nominal) morphological deficit in SLI. In contrast, no difference between groups was found on object-mass nouns.

Quantity judgment studies in Yudja (Tupi): Acquisition and interpretation of nouns

This paper explores the acquisition path and interpretation of substance and object nouns in Yudja, a Brazilian indigenous language. Based on quantity judgment tasks (Barner & Snedeker 2005), we show that children accept both cardinal and non-cardinal interpretations for all nouns (object and substance denoting nouns), while adults strongly favor a cardinal interpretation for all nouns, including substance nouns. We will use the results from these studies to support three theoretical claims from the literature. First, that the pattern observed for adults corroborates previous analyses of Yudja according to which maximal self-connected concrete portions of a kind can be considered as atoms and can be counted (Lima 2014). Second, that counting does not require natural atomicity (cf. Rothstein 2010). Third, that the definition of atoms for counting is the result of lexical, syntactic and pragmatic factors and does not depend solely on the lexical meaning of a noun (cf. Srinivasan & Barner 2016).

Mass-count distinction in Chinese-English bilingual students

There has been increased interest in examining the relationship between different linguistic modules in second language learners’ grammar system. One such interface concerns learners’ ability to map morphosyntax to target-like semantic interpretations, especially in cases where the first and second languages differ in morphosyntax-semantics mapping. We examined this issue by investigating Chinese-English bilingual adolescents’ knowledge regarding the semantic consequences of mass-count morphosyntax in English. 228 Chinese-English bilingual students from Singapore took part in a quantity judgment task. Following previous studies, we tested five noun conditions including count (e.g., shoe), substance mass (e.g., ketchup), object mass (e.g., furniture) and two conditions involving items that can occur flexibly in both mass and count contexts (e.g., string/strings). The last two conditions specifically probe learners’ ability to make use of morphosyntax in deriving semantics. The representation of quantity for objects/substance was manipulated for number or combined volume (e.g., two large shoes/portions of ketchup versus six tiny shoes/portions of ketchup). Participants were asked to make judgments on the quantity of items, in response to questions presented in a count and/or mass frame (Who has more shoes/ketchup/furniture/string/strings?). Results show that our bilingual participants were able to make appropriate semantic judgments of quantity in response to manipulation of morphosyntax. We compare our findings with previous research in first and second language contexts and discuss the differences in terms of the quantity and quality of input in shaping learners’ grammar system.