Adults' number-line estimation strategies: Evidence from eye movements

Authors: Sullivan, J.L., Juhasz, B.J., Slattery, T.J. and Barth, H.C.

Journal: Psychonomic Bulletin and Review

Volume: 18

Issue: 3

Pages: 557-563

eISSN: 1531-5320

ISSN: 1069-9384

DOI: 10.3758/s13423-011-0081-1

Abstract:

Although the development of number-line estimation ability is well documented, little is known of the processes underlying successful estimators' mappings of numerical information onto spatial representations during these tasks. We tracked adults' eye movements during a number-line estimation task to investigate the processes underlying number-to-space translation, with three main results. First, eye movements were strongly related to the target number's location, and early processing measures directly predicted later estimation performance. Second, fixations and estimates were influenced by the size of the first number presented, indicating that adults calibrate their estimates online. Third, adults' number-line estimates demonstrated patterns of error consistent with the predictions of psychophysical models of proportion estimation, and eye movement data predicted the specific error patterns we observed. These results support proportion-based accounts of number-line estimation and suggest that adults' translation of numerical information into spatial representations is a rapid, online process. © Psychonomic Society, Inc. 2011.

Source: Scopus

Adults' number-line estimation strategies: evidence from eye movements.

Authors: Sullivan, J.L., Juhasz, B.J., Slattery, T.J. and Barth, H.C.

Journal: Psychon Bull Rev

Volume: 18

Issue: 3

Pages: 557-563

eISSN: 1531-5320

DOI: 10.3758/s13423-011-0081-1

Abstract:

Although the development of number-line estimation ability is well documented, little is known of the processes underlying successful estimators' mappings of numerical information onto spatial representations during these tasks. We tracked adults' eye movements during a number-line estimation task to investigate the processes underlying number-to-space translation, with three main results. First, eye movements were strongly related to the target number's location, and early processing measures directly predicted later estimation performance. Second, fixations and estimates were influenced by the size of the first number presented, indicating that adults calibrate their estimates online. Third, adults' number-line estimates demonstrated patterns of error consistent with the predictions of psychophysical models of proportion estimation, and eye movement data predicted the specific error patterns we observed. These results support proportion-based accounts of number-line estimation and suggest that adults' translation of numerical information into spatial representations is a rapid, online process.

Source: PubMed

Adults' number-line estimation strategies: Evidence from eye movements

Authors: Sullivan, J.L., Juhasz, B.J., Slattery, T.J. and Barth, H.C.

Journal: PSYCHONOMIC BULLETIN & REVIEW

Volume: 18

Issue: 3

Pages: 557-563

eISSN: 1531-5320

ISSN: 1069-9384

DOI: 10.3758/s13423-011-0081-1

Source: Web of Science (Lite)

Adults’ number-line estimation strategies: Evidence from eye movements

Authors: Sullivan, J.L., Juhasz, B.J., Slattery, T.J. and Barth, H.C.

Journal: Psychonomic bulletin & review

Volume: 18

Pages: 557-563

Publisher: Springer

Source: Manual

Adults' number-line estimation strategies: evidence from eye movements.

Authors: Sullivan, J.L., Juhasz, B.J., Slattery, T.J. and Barth, H.C.

Journal: Psychonomic bulletin & review

Volume: 18

Issue: 3

Pages: 557-563

eISSN: 1531-5320

ISSN: 1069-9384

DOI: 10.3758/s13423-011-0081-1

Abstract:

Although the development of number-line estimation ability is well documented, little is known of the processes underlying successful estimators' mappings of numerical information onto spatial representations during these tasks. We tracked adults' eye movements during a number-line estimation task to investigate the processes underlying number-to-space translation, with three main results. First, eye movements were strongly related to the target number's location, and early processing measures directly predicted later estimation performance. Second, fixations and estimates were influenced by the size of the first number presented, indicating that adults calibrate their estimates online. Third, adults' number-line estimates demonstrated patterns of error consistent with the predictions of psychophysical models of proportion estimation, and eye movement data predicted the specific error patterns we observed. These results support proportion-based accounts of number-line estimation and suggest that adults' translation of numerical information into spatial representations is a rapid, online process.

Source: Europe PubMed Central