Spatial biases in mental arithmetic are independent of reading/writing habits: Evidence from French and Arabic speakers
(2019) European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCOP) — Location: Tenerife
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- Abstract
- The representation of numbers is linked to space as a function of their magnitude, with small and large-magnitude numbers being respectively related to the left and right side of space in Western cultures which is commonly attributed to reading/writing direction. Spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) in number manipulation have been reported in Western participants solving arithmetic problems, with subtraction/addition inducing leftward/rightward biases. We tested whether SNAs in arithmetic stem from reading/writing direction by using a temporal order judgement task in participants of opposing reading/writing directions (French/Arabic speakers). Participants solved subtractions and additions while determining which of a left or right target appeared first on screen. Both groups favoured the right target more often when solving additions than when solving subtractions. These results indicate that SNAs in arithmetic are not related to writing/reading direction and call for a reconsideration of current models by suggesting a pervasive role of biological factors in human adults.
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Masson, N., Andres, M., Alsamour, M., & Pesenti, M. (2019). Spatial biases in mental arithmetic are independent of reading/writing habits: Evidence from French and Arabic speakers. European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCOP), Tenerife.