When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia.
Number-form synesthetes consciously experience numbers in spatially-defined locations. For non-synesthete individuals, a similar association of numbers and space appears in the form of an implicit mental number line as signified by the distance effect-reaction time decreases as the numerical distanc...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2009
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| _version_ | 1797074128940826624 |
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| author | Gertner, L Henik, A Cohen Kadosh, R |
| author_facet | Gertner, L Henik, A Cohen Kadosh, R |
| author_sort | Gertner, L |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Number-form synesthetes consciously experience numbers in spatially-defined locations. For non-synesthete individuals, a similar association of numbers and space appears in the form of an implicit mental number line as signified by the distance effect-reaction time decreases as the numerical distance between compared numbers increases. In the current experiment, three number-form synesthetes and two different non-synesthete control groups (Hebrew speaking and English speaking) performed a number comparison task. Synesthete participants exhibited a sizeable distance effect only when presented numbers were congruent with their number-form. In contrast, the controls exhibited a distance effect regardless of congruency or presentation type. The findings suggest that: (a) number-form synesthesia impairs the ability to represent numbers in a flexible manner according to task demands; (b) number-form synesthesia is a genuine tangible experience, triggered involuntarily; and (c) the classic mental number line can be more pliable than previously thought and appears to be independent of cultural-lingo direction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:31:52Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:6c4f2d6d-0961-42c6-adad-494202b7b23a |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T23:31:52Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:6c4f2d6d-0961-42c6-adad-494202b7b23a2022-03-26T19:09:59ZWhen 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:6c4f2d6d-0961-42c6-adad-494202b7b23aEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009Gertner, LHenik, ACohen Kadosh, RNumber-form synesthetes consciously experience numbers in spatially-defined locations. For non-synesthete individuals, a similar association of numbers and space appears in the form of an implicit mental number line as signified by the distance effect-reaction time decreases as the numerical distance between compared numbers increases. In the current experiment, three number-form synesthetes and two different non-synesthete control groups (Hebrew speaking and English speaking) performed a number comparison task. Synesthete participants exhibited a sizeable distance effect only when presented numbers were congruent with their number-form. In contrast, the controls exhibited a distance effect regardless of congruency or presentation type. The findings suggest that: (a) number-form synesthesia impairs the ability to represent numbers in a flexible manner according to task demands; (b) number-form synesthesia is a genuine tangible experience, triggered involuntarily; and (c) the classic mental number line can be more pliable than previously thought and appears to be independent of cultural-lingo direction. |
| spellingShingle | Gertner, L Henik, A Cohen Kadosh, R When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title | When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title_full | When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title_fullStr | When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title_full_unstemmed | When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title_short | When 9 is not on the right: implications from number-form synesthesia. |
| title_sort | when 9 is not on the right implications from number form synesthesia |
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