Abstract
Finger-digit response compatibility was tested by asking participants to identify Arabic digits by pressing 1 of 10 keys with all 10 fingers. The direction of the finger-digit mapping was varied by manipulating the global direction of the hand-digit mapping as well as the direction of the finger-digit mapping within each hand (in each case, from small to large digits, or the reverse). The hypothesis of a left-to-right mental number line predicted that a complete left-to-right mapping should be easier whereas the hypothesis of a representation based on finger counting predicted that a counting-congruent mapping should be easier. The results show that when all 10 fingers are used to answer, a mapping congruent with the prototypical finger-counting strategy reported by the participants leads to better performance than does a mapping congruent with a left-to-right oriented mental number line, both in palm-down and palm-up postures of the hands, and they demonstrate that finger-counting strategies influence the way that numerical information is mentally represented and processed.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1648-1663 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology |
Volume | 59 |
Issue number | 9 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - Sep 1 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physiology
- Physiology (medical)
- Psychology(all)
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
- Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology