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Project

A different look at the development of number representation: dissociating between internal representation and decision processes.

The processing of quantity is crucial in daily life and is thought to build upon an innate representation of magnituce (e.g., Feigenson, Dehaene & Spelke, 2004). The development of number processing has been intensively studied examining the performance on basic number tasks. The results are explained by assuming a magnitude representation akin to a mental number line (Dehaene, 1997). However recently, inconsistencies arose between different effects said to be originated on this number line. These inconsistencies can be resolved by dissociating between representational characetistics and decisional characteristics of processing and assuming that some effects are situated at the level of the representation and others at the decisional level. In this project, we aim to disentangle these characteristics by contrasting implicit and explicit measures of quantity representations. The results will lead to a more thorough understanding of the development of number processing and will clarify whether general mathematical ability is related to representational characteristics, decisional mechanisms or both.
Date:1 Jan 2010 →  31 Dec 2013
Keywords:Distance effect, Mathematical ability, Number processing, Development
Disciplines:Animal experimental and comparative psychology, Applied psychology, Human experimental psychology, Developmental psychology and ageing