Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children
The ability to compare the numerical magnitude of symbolic numbers represents a milestone in the development of numerical skills. However, it remains unclear how basic numerical abilities contribute to the understanding of symbolic magnitude and whether the impact of these abilities may vary when sy...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-05-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Psychology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00776/full |
| _version_ | 1811273027138093056 |
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| author | Francesco Sella Daniela Lucangeli Marco Zorzi |
| author_facet | Francesco Sella Daniela Lucangeli Marco Zorzi |
| author_sort | Francesco Sella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ability to compare the numerical magnitude of symbolic numbers represents a milestone in the development of numerical skills. However, it remains unclear how basic numerical abilities contribute to the understanding of symbolic magnitude and whether the impact of these abilities may vary when symbolic numbers are presented as number words (e.g., “six vs. eight”) vs. Arabic numbers (e.g., 6 vs. 8). In the present study on preschool children, we show that comparison of number words is related to cardinality knowledge whereas the comparison of Arabic digits is related to both cardinality knowledge and the ability to spatially map numbers. We conclude that comparison of symbolic numbers in preschool children relies on multiple numerical skills and representations, which can be differentially weighted depending on the presentation format. In particular, the spatial arrangement of digits on the number line seems to scaffold the development of a “spatial route” to understanding the exact magnitude of numerals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:51:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e87bfabf4156492e8b96106bd6cbb22f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-1078 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T22:51:51Z |
| publishDate | 2018-05-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Psychology |
| spelling | doaj.art-e87bfabf4156492e8b96106bd6cbb22f2022-12-22T03:13:20ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-05-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.00776316343Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young ChildrenFrancesco Sella0Daniela Lucangeli1Marco Zorzi2Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United KingdomDepartment of Developmental Psychology and Socialisation, Università di Padova, Padova, ItalyDepartment of General Psychology, Università di Padova, Padova, ItalyThe ability to compare the numerical magnitude of symbolic numbers represents a milestone in the development of numerical skills. However, it remains unclear how basic numerical abilities contribute to the understanding of symbolic magnitude and whether the impact of these abilities may vary when symbolic numbers are presented as number words (e.g., “six vs. eight”) vs. Arabic numbers (e.g., 6 vs. 8). In the present study on preschool children, we show that comparison of number words is related to cardinality knowledge whereas the comparison of Arabic digits is related to both cardinality knowledge and the ability to spatially map numbers. We conclude that comparison of symbolic numbers in preschool children relies on multiple numerical skills and representations, which can be differentially weighted depending on the presentation format. In particular, the spatial arrangement of digits on the number line seems to scaffold the development of a “spatial route” to understanding the exact magnitude of numerals.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00776/fullcountingnumerical estimationnumber line taskdigit comparisonpreschool children |
| spellingShingle | Francesco Sella Daniela Lucangeli Marco Zorzi Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children Frontiers in Psychology counting numerical estimation number line task digit comparison preschool children |
| title | Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children |
| title_full | Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children |
| title_short | Spatial and Verbal Routes to Number Comparison in Young Children |
| title_sort | spatial and verbal routes to number comparison in young children |
| topic | counting numerical estimation number line task digit comparison preschool children |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00776/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT francescosella spatialandverbalroutestonumbercomparisoninyoungchildren AT danielalucangeli spatialandverbalroutestonumbercomparisoninyoungchildren AT marcozorzi spatialandverbalroutestonumbercomparisoninyoungchildren |