Systematic spatial distortion of quantitative estimates.

Psychological Research
Samuel Shaki, Martin H Fischer

Abstract

Magnitude estimation has been studied since the beginnings of scientific psychology and constitutes a fundamental aspect of human behavior. Yet, it has apparently never been noticed that estimates depend on the spatial arrangement used. We tested 167 adults in three experiments to show that the spatial layout of stimuli and responses systematically distorts number estimation, length production, and weight reproduction performance. The direction of distortion depends on the observer's counting habits, but does not seem to reflect the use of spatially associated number concepts. Our results imply that all quantitative estimates are contaminated by a "spell of space" whenever stimuli or responses are spatially distributed.

References

Sep 12, 2001·Neurology·M H Fischer
May 20, 2003·Nature Neuroscience·Martin H FischerJay Pratt
Jun 9, 2007·Cognition·Ivilin StoianovMarco Zorzi
Oct 10, 2007·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Maria-Dolores de HeviaGiuseppe Vallar
Jan 24, 2008·Current Biology : CB·Tobias LoetscherPeter Brugger
Apr 5, 2008·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Martin H Fischer
Mar 19, 2009·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Samuel ShakiWilliam M Petrusic
Jul 23, 2014·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Martin H Fischer, Samuel Shaki
Jan 27, 2015·Psychological Research·Martin H Fischer, Samuel Shaki
Feb 17, 2017·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Samuel Shaki, Martin H Fischer
Dec 12, 2017·Current Biology : CB·Maria Dolores de HeviaCory D Bonn
Mar 4, 2018·Cognition·Samuel Shaki, Martin H Fischer
Jan 25, 2019·Developmental Science·Elisa Di GiorgioFrancesca Simion
Feb 6, 2019·Cognitive Processing·Mario Dalmaso, Michele Vicovaro
Dec 22, 2019·Cognitive Processing·Piotr Paweł StyrkowiecBartłomiej Łepek
Apr 9, 2020·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Arianna FelisattiMartin H Fischer
Jul 10, 2020·Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences·Arianna FelisattiMartin H Fischer

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