A role for attentional reorienting during approximate multiplication and division
Author(s) / Creator(s)
Katz, Curren
Hoesterey, Hannes
Knops, André
Abstract / Description
When asked to estimate the outcome of arithmetic problems, participants overestimate for addition problems and underestimate for subtraction problems, both in symbolic and non-symbolic format. This bias is referred to as operational momentum effect (OM). The attentional shifts account holds that during computation of the outcome participants are propelled too far along a spatial number representation. OM was observed in non-symbolic multiplication and division while being absent in symbolic multiplication and division. Here, we investigate whether (a) the absence of the OM in symbolic multiplication and division was due to the presentation of the correct outcome amongst the response alternatives, putatively triggering verbally mediated fact retrieval, and whether (b) OM is correlated with attentional parameters, as stipulated by the attentional account. Participants were presented with symbolic and non-symbolic multiplication and division problems. Among seven incorrect response alternatives participants selected the most plausible result. Participants were also presented with a Posner task, with valid (70%), invalid (15%) and neutral (15%) cues pointing to the position at which a subsequent target would appear. While no OM was observed in symbolic format, non-symbolic problems were subject to OM. The non-symbolic OM was positively correlated with reorienting after invalid cues. These results provide further evidence for a functional association between spatial attention and approximate arithmetic, as stipulated by the attentional shifts account of OM. They also suggest that the cognitive processes underlying multiplication and division are less prone to spatial biases compared to addition and subtraction, further underlining the involvement of differential cognitive processes.
Keyword(s)
operational momentum approximate calculation spatial attention mental number line reorienting mental arithmeticPersistent Identifier
Date of first publication
2017-12-22
Journal title
Journal of Numerical Cognition
Volume
3
Issue
2
Page numbers
246–269
Publisher
PsychOpen GOLD
Publication status
publishedVersion
Review status
peerReviewed
Is version of
Citation
Katz, C., Hoesterey, H., & Knops, A. (2017). A role for attentional reorienting during approximate multiplication and division. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(2), 246–269. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.62
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Katz, Curren
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Hoesterey, Hannes
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Knops, André
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T11:42:48Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T11:42:48Z
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Date of first publication2017-12-22
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Abstract / DescriptionWhen asked to estimate the outcome of arithmetic problems, participants overestimate for addition problems and underestimate for subtraction problems, both in symbolic and non-symbolic format. This bias is referred to as operational momentum effect (OM). The attentional shifts account holds that during computation of the outcome participants are propelled too far along a spatial number representation. OM was observed in non-symbolic multiplication and division while being absent in symbolic multiplication and division. Here, we investigate whether (a) the absence of the OM in symbolic multiplication and division was due to the presentation of the correct outcome amongst the response alternatives, putatively triggering verbally mediated fact retrieval, and whether (b) OM is correlated with attentional parameters, as stipulated by the attentional account. Participants were presented with symbolic and non-symbolic multiplication and division problems. Among seven incorrect response alternatives participants selected the most plausible result. Participants were also presented with a Posner task, with valid (70%), invalid (15%) and neutral (15%) cues pointing to the position at which a subsequent target would appear. While no OM was observed in symbolic format, non-symbolic problems were subject to OM. The non-symbolic OM was positively correlated with reorienting after invalid cues. These results provide further evidence for a functional association between spatial attention and approximate arithmetic, as stipulated by the attentional shifts account of OM. They also suggest that the cognitive processes underlying multiplication and division are less prone to spatial biases compared to addition and subtraction, further underlining the involvement of differential cognitive processes.en_US
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationKatz, C., Hoesterey, H., & Knops, A. (2017). A role for attentional reorienting during approximate multiplication and division. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 3(2), 246–269. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.62en_US
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ISSN2363-8761
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1266
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1458
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v3i2.62
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Keyword(s)operational momentumen_US
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Keyword(s)approximate calculationen_US
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Keyword(s)spatial attentionen_US
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Keyword(s)mental number lineen_US
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Keyword(s)reorientingen_US
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Keyword(s)mental arithmeticen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleA role for attentional reorienting during approximate multiplication and divisionen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue2
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Journal titleJournal of Numerical Cognition
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Page numbers246–269
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Volume3
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record