scholarly journals Modeling the latent structure of individual differences in the numerical size-congruity effect

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Faulkenberry ◽  
Kristen Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Numerical Cognition ◽  
Congruity Effect ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Physical Size ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Size Congruity Effect ◽  
Individual Size

When people are asked to choose the physically larger of a pair of numerals, they are often slower when relative physical size is incongruent with numerical magnitude. This size-congruity effect is usually assumed as evidence for automatic activation of numerical magnitude. In this paper, we apply the methods of Haaf and Rouder (2017) to look at the size-congruity effect through the lens of individual differences. Here, we simply ask whether everyone exhibits the effect. We develop a class of hierarchical Bayesian mixed models with varying levels of constraint on the individual size- congruity effects. The models are then compared via Bayes factors, telling us which model best predicts the observed data. We then apply this modeling technique to three data sets. In all three data sets, the winning model was one in which the size-congruity effect was constrained to be positive. This indicates that, at least in a physical comparison task with numerals, everyone exhibits a positive size-congruity effect. We discuss these results in the context of measurement fidelity and theory-building in numerical cognition.

EXPRESS: Sometimes nothing is simply nothing: Automatic processing of empty sets

2021 ◽  
pp. 174702182110664
Author(s):  
Yam Zagury ◽  
Rut Zaks-Ohayon ◽  
Joseph Tzelgov ◽  
Michal Pinhas
Keyword(s):  
Visual Cues ◽  
Automatic Processing ◽  
Congruity Effect ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Numerical Comparison ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Numerical Comparisons ◽  
Perceptual Dominance ◽  
Size Congruity Effect

Previous work using the numerical comparison task has shown that an empty set, the nonsymbolic manifestation of zero, can be represented as the smallest quantity of the numerical magnitude system. In the present study, we examined whether an empty set can be represented as such under conditions of automatic processing in which deliberate processing of stimuli magnitudes is not required by the task. In Experiment 1, participants performed physical and numerical comparisons of empty sets (i.e., empty frames) and of other numerosities presented as framed arrays of 1 to 9 dots. The physical sizes of the frames varied within pairs. Both tasks revealed a size congruity effect (SCE) for comparisons of non-empty sets. In contrast, comparisons to empty sets produced an inverted SCE in the physical comparison task, while no SCE was found for comparisons to empty sets in the numerical comparison task. In Experiment 2, participants performed an area comparison task using the same stimuli as Experiment 1 to examine the effect of visual cues on the automatic processing of empty sets. The results replicated the findings of the physical comparison task in Experiment 1. Taken together, our findings indicate that empty sets are not perceived as “zero”, but rather as “nothing”, when processed automatically. Hence, the perceptual dominance of empty sets seems to play a more important role under conditions of automatic processing, making it harder to abstract the numerical meaning of zero from empty sets.

scholarly journals Modeling response times in the size-congruity effect: Early versus late interaction

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Bowman ◽  
Thomas J. Faulkenberry
Keyword(s):  
Drift Rate ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Decision Time ◽  
Congruity Effect ◽  
Response Threshold ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Comparison Task ◽  
Single Digit ◽  
Paired Samples ◽  
Size Congruity Effect

The size-congruity effect occurs when numerical magnitude interferes with judgments of physical size. Various accounts propose that this interference is either encoding-related or decision-related, though at present a clear consensus is lacking. In our study, we administered a single-digit physical comparison task (i.e., which digit is physically larger?) and applied four different mathematical models (ex-Gaussian, ex-Wald, shifted Wald and EZ-diffusion) to the observed response times. The aim of this modeling was to index the underlying cognitive processes via estimates of drift rate, response threshold, and non-decision time. The collection of estimates for each individual was then subjected to Bayesian paired samples t-tests. We found that the drift rate for incongruent trials was smaller than for congruent trials, indicating that congruent trials had a faster rate of information uptake. The response threshold for incongruent trials was generally larger than for congruent trials, indicating that for incongruent trials more information needed to be accumulated before a response could be initiated. Critically, we found evidence of an invariance in non-decision times between incongruent and congruent trials. This combination of results provides support for a late interaction account of the size-congruity effect, shedding further light onto models of decision making in number processing.

scholarly journals Effects of attentional shifts along the vertical axis on number processing: an eye-tracking study with optokinetic stimulation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Felisatti ◽  
Mariagrazia Ranzini ◽  
Elvio Blini ◽  
Matteo Lisi ◽  
Marco Zorzi
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Numerical Cognition ◽  
Response Times ◽  
Eye Gaze ◽  
Distance Effect ◽  
Vertical Axis ◽  
Number Processing ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Optokinetic Stimulation ◽  
Comparison Task

Previous studies suggest that associations between numbers and space are mediated by shifts of visuospatial attention along the horizontal axis. In this study, we investigated the effect of vertical shifts of overt attention, induced by optokinetic stimulation (OKS) and monitored through eye-tracking, in two tasks requiring explicit (number comparison) or implicit (parity judgment) processing of number magnitude. Participants were exposed to black-and-white stripes (OKS) that moved vertically (upward or downward) or remained static (control condition). During the OKS, participants were asked to verbally classify auditory one-digit numbers as larger/smaller than 5 (comparison task; Exp. 1) or as odd/even (parity task; Exp. 2). OKS modulated response times in both experiments. In Exp.1, downward attentional displacement increased the Magnitude effect (slower responses for large numbers) and reduced the Distance effect (slower responses for numbers close to the reference). In Exp.2, we observed a parity by magnitude interaction that was amplified by downward OKS. Moreover, eye tracking analyses revealed an influence of number processing on eye movements both in Exp. 1, with eye gaze shifting downwards during the processing of numbers 1-2 as compared to 8-9; and in Exp. 2, with leftward shifts after large even numbers (6,8) and rightward shifts after large odd numbers (7,9). These results provide evidence of bidirectional links between number and space and extend them to the vertical dimension. Moreover, they document the influence of visuo-spatial attention on processing of numerical magnitude, numerical distance and parity. Together, our findings are in line with grounded and embodied accounts of numerical cognition.

On the Internal Representation of Numerical Magnitude and Physical Size

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-163 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Fitousi
Keyword(s):  
Signal Detection ◽  
Signal Detection Theory ◽  
Numerical Cognition ◽  
Internal Representation ◽  
Numerical Magnitude ◽  
Semantic Relationship ◽  
Physical Size ◽  
General Recognition Theory ◽  
Recognition Theory ◽  
General Recognition

A nascent idea in the numerical cognition literature – the analogical hypothesis ( Pinel, Piazza, Bihan, & Dehaene, 2004 ) – assumes a common noisy code for the representation of symbolic (e.g., numerals) and nonsymbolic (e.g., numerosity, physical size, luminance) magnitudes. The present work subjected this assumption to various tests from the perspective of General Recognition Theory (GRT; Ashby & Townsend, 1986 ) – a multidimensional extension of Signal Detection Theory ( Green & Swets, 1966 ). The GRT was applied to the dimensions of numerical magnitude and physical size with the following goals: (a) characterizing the internal representation of these dimensions in the psychological space, and (b) assessing various types of (in)dependence and separability governing the perception of these dimensions. The results revealed various violations of independence and separability with Stroop incongruent, but not with Stroop congruent stimuli. The outcome suggests that there are deep differences in architecture between Stroop congruent and incongruent stimuli that reach well beyond the semantic relationship involved.

scholarly journals A Minority pulls the sample mean: on the individual prevalence of robust group-level cognitive phenomena – the instance of the SNARC effect

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Cipora ◽  
Jean-Philippe van Dijck ◽  
Carrie Georges ◽  
Nicolas Masson ◽  
Silke Melanie Goebel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Cognition ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Snarc Effect ◽  
Theoretical Issue ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Group Level ◽  
Scientific Psychology ◽  
Sample Mean ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
The Individual

The aim of cognitive psychology is to obtain insights into human cognition in general. For this purpose, group-studies are typically conducted on representative samples so that the results can be generalized to the population. Using this approach, individual differences in such group-level cognitive phenomena are typically neglected and not much is known about their prevalence at the individual level. Such information is nevertheless important for claims about the universality of phenomena, as in theory, significant effects at the group-level can in principle be driven by a minority of participants. Here we used a uniform analysis of 18 existing data sets revealing a well-replicated phenomenon in numerical cognition: the SNARC (Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes) effect, in order to investigate the prevalence of the effect at the individual level. Three methods of analyzing the presence of the effect at the individual level were utilized: one psychometric and two bootstrapping methods. The results show that the group-level SNARC effect is driven by a minority of individuals (≤ 45%) who reveal the effect. This finding demonstrate an important theoretical issue: whether group-level effects really reflect general principles of cognition. We discuss advantages and drawbacks of the present methods and their usefulness for investigating the prevalence of other cognitive phenomena. We posit that testing the presence of robust group-level cognitive effects at the individual level as well as ensuring their reliable measurement is an important step towards integrating two traditionally separate approaches of scientific psychology proposed back in 50’ by Cronbach: experimental and correlational.

Individual Uniqueness in the Neonatal Functional Connectome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiushi Wang ◽  
Yuehua Xu ◽  
Tengda Zhao ◽  
Zhilei Xu ◽  
Yong He ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Individual Identification ◽  
Imaging Data ◽  
Functional Connectome ◽  
Middle Range ◽  
Human Connectome Project ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Identification Analysis ◽  
The Brain

Abstract The functional connectome is highly distinctive in adults and adolescents, underlying individual differences in cognition and behavior. However, it remains unknown whether the individual uniqueness of the functional connectome is present in neonates, who are far from mature. Here, we utilized the multiband resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data of 40 healthy neonates from the Developing Human Connectome Project and a split-half analysis approach to characterize the uniqueness of the functional connectome in the neonatal brain. Through functional connectome-based individual identification analysis, we found that all the neonates were correctly identified, with the most discriminative regions predominantly confined to the higher-order cortices (e.g., prefrontal and parietal regions). The connectivities with the highest contributions to individual uniqueness were primarily located between different functional systems, and the short- (0–30 mm) and middle-range (30–60 mm) connectivities were more distinctive than the long-range (>60 mm) connectivities. Interestingly, we found that functional data with a scanning length longer than 3.5 min were able to capture the individual uniqueness in the functional connectome. Our results highlight that individual uniqueness is present in the functional connectome of neonates and provide insights into the brain mechanisms underlying individual differences in cognition and behavior later in life.

Predictors of Positive Psychological Capital: An Attempt Among the Teacher Communities in Rural Jharkhand, India

2021 ◽  
pp. 0258042X2199101
Author(s):  
Mukti Clarence ◽  
Viju P. D. ◽  
Lalatendu Kesari Jena ◽  
Tony Sam George
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Contextual Factors ◽  
Meaningful Work ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Positive Psychological Capital ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Impact

In the recent times, researchers have shown an increased interest in positive psychological capital (PsyCap). However, it is acknowledged that due to the limited number of studies conducted on the antecedents of psychological capital, there is a lack of sufficient data for conclusively proving the antecedents of PsyCap. Consequently, this article aims to explore the potential antecedents of PsyCap as a reliable source of data in the context of rural school teachers. The focus is to investigate both the individual differences and the contextual factors as desirable variables that constitute PsyCap among the school teachers of rural Jharkhand, India. Samples of 1,120 respondents from different rural schools were collected and analysed with Structural Equation Modeling (AMOS 20.0). The findings of the study explained that both the individual differences ( proactive personality and emotional intelligence) and the contextual factors ( perceived organizational support, servant leadership and meaningful work) have a positive relationship with PsyCap. The impact of PsyCap on teacher performance can form the basis for further research on the subject. JEL Codes: M12, M53

scholarly journals Individual Differences in the Vocal Communication of Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus) Considering Familiarity and Relatedness

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1026
Author(s):  
Robin Walb ◽  
Lorenzo von Fersen ◽  
Theo Meijer ◽  
Kurt Hammerschmidt
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Animal Communication ◽  
Solitary Living ◽  
Low Visibility ◽  
Living Species ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Tapirus Indicus

Studies in animal communication have shown that many species have individual distinct calls. These individual distinct vocalizations can play an important role in animal communication because they can carry important information about the age, sex, personality, or social role of the signaler. Although we have good knowledge regarding the importance of individual vocalization in social living mammals, it is less clear to what extent solitary living mammals possess individual distinct vocalizations. We recorded and analyzed the vocalizations of 14 captive adult Malayan tapirs (Tapirus indicus) (six females and eight males) to answer this question. We investigated whether familiarity or relatedness had an influence on call similarity. In addition to sex-related differences, we found significant differences between all subjects, comparable to the individual differences found in highly social living species. Surprisingly, kinship appeared to have no influence on call similarity, whereas familiar subjects exhibited significantly higher similarity in their harmonic calls compared to unfamiliar or related subjects. The results support the view that solitary animals could have individual distinct calls, like highly social animals. Therefore, it is likely that non-social factors, like low visibility, could have an influence on call individuality. The increasing knowledge of their behavior will help to protect this endangered species.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Agung 1963 volcanic forcing – impact of one or two eruptions

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulrike Niemeier ◽  
Claudia Timmreck ◽  
Kirstin Krüger
Keyword(s):  
Radiative Forcing ◽  
Injection Rate ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Meridional Transport ◽  
Emission Data ◽  
Volcanic Clouds ◽  
Different Seasons ◽  
Future Emission ◽  
Volcanic Emission ◽  
The Individual

Abstract. In 1963 a series of eruptions of Mt. Agung, Indonesia, resulted in the 3rd largest eruption of the 20th century and claimed about 1900 lives. Two eruptions of this series injected SO2 into the stratosphere, a requirement to get a long lasting stratospheric sulfate layer. The first eruption on March 17th injected 4.7 Tg SO2 into the stratosphere, the second eruption 2.3 Tg SO2 on May, 16th. In recent volcanic emission data sets these eruption phases are merged together to one large eruption phase for Mt. Agung in March 1963 with an injection rate of 7 Tg SO2. The injected sulfur forms a sulfate layer in the stratosphere. The evolution of sulfur is non-linear and depends on the injection rate and aerosol background conditions. We performed ensembles of two model experiments, one with a single and a second one with two eruptions. The two smaller eruptions result in a lower burden, smaller particles and 0.1 to 0.3 Wm−2 (10–20 %) lower radiative forcing in monthly mean global average compared to the individual eruption experiment. The differences are the consequence of slightly stronger meridional transport due to different seasons of the eruptions, lower injection height of the second eruption and the resulting different aerosol evolution. The differences between the two experiments are significant but smaller than the variance of the individual ensemble means. Overall, the evolution of the volcanic clouds is different in case of two eruptions than with a single eruption only. We conclude that there is no justification to use one eruption only and both climatic eruptions should be taken into account in future emission datasets.

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