Article Version of Record

Connecting visual objects reduces perceived numerosity and density for sparse but not dense patterns

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Anobile, Giovanni
Cicchini, Guido Marco
Pomè, Antonella
Burr, David Charles

Abstract / Description

How is numerosity encoded by the visual system? – directly, or derived indirectly from texture density? We recently suggested that the numerosity of sparse patterns is encoded directly by dedicated mechanisms (which have been described as the “Approximate Number System” ANS). However, at high dot densities, where items become “crowded” and difficult to segregate, “texture-density” mechanisms come into play. Here we tested the importance of item segmentation on numerosity and density perception at various stimulus densities, by measuring the effect of connecting visual objects with thin lines. The results confirmed many previous studies showing that connecting items robustly reduces the apparent numerosity of patterns of moderate density. We further showed that the apparent density of moderate-density patterns is also reduced by connecting the dots. Crucially, we found that both these effects are strongly reduced at higher numerosities. Indeed for density judgments, the effect reverses, so connecting dots in dense patterns increases the apparent density (as expected from the physical characteristics). The results provide clear support for the three-regime framework of number perception, and suggest that for moderately sparse stimuli, numerosity – but not texture-density – is perceived directly.

Keyword(s)

numerical cognition Approximate Number System numerosity discrimination numerosity perception texture-density texture perception visual segmentation

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2017-12-22

Journal title

Journal of Numerical Cognition

Volume

3

Issue

2

Page numbers

133–146

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Anobile, G., Cicchini, G. M., Pomè, A., & Burr, D. C. (2017). Connecting visual objects reduces perceived numerosity and density for sparse but not dense patterns. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(2), 133–146. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.38
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Anobile, Giovanni
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Cicchini, Guido Marco
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Pomè, Antonella
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Burr, David Charles
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T11:42:45Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T11:42:45Z
  • Date of first publication
    2017-12-22
  • Abstract / Description
    How is numerosity encoded by the visual system? – directly, or derived indirectly from texture density? We recently suggested that the numerosity of sparse patterns is encoded directly by dedicated mechanisms (which have been described as the “Approximate Number System” ANS). However, at high dot densities, where items become “crowded” and difficult to segregate, “texture-density” mechanisms come into play. Here we tested the importance of item segmentation on numerosity and density perception at various stimulus densities, by measuring the effect of connecting visual objects with thin lines. The results confirmed many previous studies showing that connecting items robustly reduces the apparent numerosity of patterns of moderate density. We further showed that the apparent density of moderate-density patterns is also reduced by connecting the dots. Crucially, we found that both these effects are strongly reduced at higher numerosities. Indeed for density judgments, the effect reverses, so connecting dots in dense patterns increases the apparent density (as expected from the physical characteristics). The results provide clear support for the three-regime framework of number perception, and suggest that for moderately sparse stimuli, numerosity – but not texture-density – is perceived directly.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Anobile, G., Cicchini, G. M., Pomè, A., & Burr, D. C. (2017). Connecting visual objects reduces perceived numerosity and density for sparse but not dense patterns. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(2), 133–146. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.38
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2363-8761
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1256
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1448
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.38
  • Keyword(s)
    numerical cognition
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    Approximate Number System
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    numerosity discrimination
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    numerosity perception
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    texture-density
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    texture perception
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    visual segmentation
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Connecting visual objects reduces perceived numerosity and density for sparse but not dense patterns
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Numerical Cognition
  • Page numbers
    133–146
  • Volume
    3
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record