Exploring the origin of the number-size congruency effect: Sensitivity or response bias?

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• 作者：Dennis Reike ; Wolf Schwarz
• 关键词：Numerical cognition ; Number ; size congruity effect ; Signal detection theory
• 刊名：Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics
• 出版年：2017
• 出版时间：February 2017
• 年：2017
• 卷：79
• 期：2
• 页码：383-388
• 全文大小：
• 刊物主题：Cognitive Psychology;
• 出版者：Springer US
• ISSN：1943-393X
• 卷排序：79

文摘

Physical size modulates the efficiency of digit comparison, depending on whether the relation of numerical magnitude and physical size is congruent or incongruent (Besner & Coltheart, Neuropsychologia, 17, 467–472, 1979), the number-size congruency effect (NSCE). In addition, Henik and Tzelgov (Memory & Cognition, 10, 389–395, 1982) first reported an NSCE for the reverse task of comparing the physical size of digits such that the numerical magnitude of digits modulated the time required to compare their physical sizes. Does the NSCE in physical comparisons simply reflect a number-mediated bias mechanism related to making decisions and selecting responses about the digit’s sizes? Alternatively, or in addition, the NSCE might indicate a true increase in the ability to discriminate small and large font sizes when these sizes are congruent with the digit’s symbolic numerical meaning, over and above response bias effects. We present a new research design that permits us to apply signal detection theory to a task that required observers to judge the physical size of digits. Our results clearly demonstrate that the NSCE cannot be reduced to mere response bias effects, and that genuine sensitivity gains for congruent number-size pairings contribute to the NSCE.