Sensory deprivation: visual experience alters the mental number line

Behavioural Brain Research
Achille PasqualottoMichael J Proulx

Abstract

Early studies on numeric cognition reported that numbers are spatially organised according to a left-to-right small-to-large 'number line'. We investigated whether this spatial-number organisation is dictated by visual experience. We tested congenitally and late blind, and blindfolded sighted participants in a random number generation task where in one block their heads were alternately turned left or right before uttering the number. We found that the 'random' number generation was biased according to the side where the head was turned to. Consistent with the standard number line, participants with visual experience generated smaller numbers for left turns, and larger numbers for right turns. In contrast, participants without any visual experience showed the opposite pattern of results. These results suggest a role for visual experience in the development of spatial and numerical representations, which is supported by cultural differences in number representation, and provide converging evidence for visually driven organisation of the parietal cortex.

References

Jun 2, 2005·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Edward M HubbardStanislas Dehaene
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Dec 13, 2006·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Julie Castronovo, Xavier Seron
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Jun 3, 2009·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Domenica Bueti, Vincent Walsh
Feb 15, 2012·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Achille Pasqualotto, Michael J Proulx
Sep 11, 2012·Behavioural Brain Research·Achille PasqualottoMichael J Proulx
Feb 14, 2013·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Julie Castronovo, Jean-François Delvenne

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Citations

Jul 18, 2015·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Luca RinaldiZaira Cattaneo
Jul 23, 2014·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Martin H Fischer, Samuel Shaki
Jun 29, 2016·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·A K M Rezaul KarimLora T Likova
Jun 26, 2014·Experimental Biology and Medicine·Emiliano RicciardiPietro Pietrini
Jul 26, 2018·Brain Structure & Function·Achille PasqualottoMartin I Sereno
Feb 20, 2015·Multisensory Research·David J BrownMichael J Proulx

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