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Non-symbolic magnitudes are represented spatially: Evidence from a non-symbolic SNARC task

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  • Fiona Nemeh
  • Judi Humberstone
  • Mark J Yates
  • Robert A Reeve

Abstract

A core proposition in numerical cognition is numbers are represented spatially. Evidence for this proposition comes from the “spatial numerical association of response codes” effect (SNARC) in which faster responses are made by the left/right hand judging whether one of a pair of Arabic digits is smaller/larger than the other. Less is known if a similar SNARC effect exists for non-symbolic magnitudes; and research that has been conducted used stimuli which could be translated into symbolic terms. To overcome this limitation, we employed a referent-to-target judgment paradigm in which a referent dot array (n = 30 dots) was follow by a second array of dots (e.g., n = 45 or 15 dots)–participants judged if the second array contained fewer or more dots than the referent array. Dot arrays with fewer dots were judged more quickly with the left hand compared to the right hand (i.e., a SNARC effect). Not all participants demonstrated a SNARC effect, however. Neither visuospatial working memory nor math ability was associated with the presence/absence of a non-symbolic SNARC effect. Implications of the non-symbolic SNARC effect for accounts of numerical cognition are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Fiona Nemeh & Judi Humberstone & Mark J Yates & Robert A Reeve, 2018. "Non-symbolic magnitudes are represented spatially: Evidence from a non-symbolic SNARC task," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(8), pages 1-15, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0203019
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0203019
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arnaud Viarouge & Edward M Hubbard & Bruce D McCandliss, 2014. "The Cognitive Mechanisms of the SNARC Effect: An Individual Differences Approach," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(4), pages 1-10, April.
    2. Ping Ren & Michael E R Nicholls & Yuan-ye Ma & Lin Chen, 2011. "Size Matters: Non-Numerical Magnitude Affects the Spatial Coding of Response," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 6(8), pages 1-6, August.
    3. Danielle Hoffmann & Christophe Mussolin & Romain Martin & Christine Schiltz, 2014. "The Impact of Mathematical Proficiency on the Number-Space Association," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(1), pages 1-11, January.
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