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.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 110-113 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Behavioural Brain Research |
| Volume | 261 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2014 Mar 5 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Blindness
- Brain plasticity
- Number representation
- Parietal cortex
- Spatial representation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Behavioral Neuroscience
Cite this
Sensory deprivation : Visual experience alters the mental number line. / Pasqualotto, Achille; Taya, Shuichiro; Proulx, Michael J.
In: Behavioural Brain Research, Vol. 261, 05.03.2014, p. 110-113.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Sensory deprivation
T2 - Visual experience alters the mental number line
AU - Pasqualotto, Achille
AU - Taya, Shuichiro
AU - Proulx, Michael J.
PY - 2014/3/5
Y1 - 2014/3/5
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Blindness
KW - Brain plasticity
KW - Number representation
KW - Parietal cortex
KW - Spatial representation
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84891061341&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.12.017
DO - 10.1016/j.bbr.2013.12.017
M3 - Article
C2 - 24355751
AN - SCOPUS:84891061341
VL - 261
SP - 110
EP - 113
JO - Behavioural Brain Research
JF - Behavioural Brain Research
SN - 0166-4328
ER -