Factoring in the Spatial Effects of Symbolic Number Representation

Andrey R Nikolaev, Ann-Kathrin Beck, Steffen Theobald, Thomas Lachmann, Cees van Leeuwen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Spatial constituents of adult symbolic number representation produce effects of size-value congruity, Spatial Numerical Association of Response Codes (SNARC), and numerical distance. According to behavioral experiments, these effects belong to distinct processing stages. Yet, these effects evoke overlapping responses in both early and late Event Related Potentials (ERPs). To probe whether these overlaps indicate sharing of resources, all relevant stimulus and response conditions were factorially combined in a numerical value comparison task. To secure ERP validity, same numbers were compared against variable reference values. This design resulted in previously unobserved interactions in behavior but inhibited late ERP effects. All effects arose early in the P1 component (around 100 ms) and most showed hemispheric specificity. Independency of congruity and SNARC effects was observed, whereas SNARC and numerical distance were closely intertwined. Differences in hemispheric specificity, rather than stage-wise separation, were key to independence.
Original languageEnglish
Article number107782
JournalBiological Psychology
Volume149
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020 Jan
Externally publishedYes

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Psychology

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