@article{BorghiShakiFischer2022, author = {Borghi, Anna M. and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Abstract concepts: external influences, internal constraints, and methodological issues}, series = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, volume = {86}, journal = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-022-01698-4}, pages = {2370 -- 2388}, year = {2022}, abstract = {There is a longstanding and widely held misconception about the relative remoteness of abstract concepts from concrete experiences. This review examines the current evidence for external influences and internal constraints on the processing, representation, and use of abstract concepts, like truth, friendship, and number. We highlight the theoretical benefit of distinguishing between grounded and embodied cognition and then ask which roles do perception, action, language, and social interaction play in acquiring, representing and using abstract concepts. By reviewing several studies, we show that they are, against the accepted definition, not detached from perception and action. Focussing on magnitude-related concepts, we also discuss evidence for cultural influences on abstract knowledge and explore how internal processes such as inner speech, metacognition, and inner bodily signals (interoception) influence the acquisition and retrieval of abstract knowledge. Finally, we discuss some methodological developments. Specifically, we focus on the importance of studies that investigate the time course of conceptual processing and we argue that, because of the paramount role of sociality for abstract concepts, new methods are necessary to study concepts in interactive situations. We conclude that bodily, linguistic, and social constraints provide important theoretical limitations for our theories of conceptual knowledge.}, language = {en} } @article{MioniFischerShaki2021, author = {Mioni, Giovanna and Fischer, Martin H. and Shaki, Samuel}, title = {Heuristics and biases in the mental manipulation of magnitudes}, series = {Quarterly journal of experimental psychology / published in association with Experimental Psychology Society}, volume = {74}, journal = {Quarterly journal of experimental psychology / published in association with Experimental Psychology Society}, number = {3}, publisher = {SAGE Publishing}, address = {Thousand Oaks, CA}, issn = {1747-0218}, doi = {10.1177/1747021820967663}, pages = {536 -- 547}, year = {2021}, abstract = {There is a debate about whether and why we overestimate addition and underestimate subtraction results (Operational Momentum or OM effect). Spatial-attentional accounts of OM compete with a model which postulates that OM reflects a weighted combination of multiple arithmetic heuristics and biases (AHAB). This study addressed this debate with the theoretically diagnostic distinction between zero problems (e.g., 3 + 0, 3 - 0) and non-zero problems (e.g., 2 + 1, 4 - 1) because AHAB, in contrast to all other accounts, uniquely predicts reverse OM for the latter problem type. In two tests (line-length production and time production), participants indeed produced shorter lines and under-estimated time intervals in non-zero additions compared with subtractions. This predicted interaction between operation and problem type extends OM to non-spatial magnitudes and highlights the strength of AHAB regarding different problem types and modalities during the mental manipulation of magnitudes. They also suggest that OM reflects methodological details, whereas reverse OM is the more representative behavioural signature of mental arithmetic.}, language = {en} } @article{D'AscenzoFischerShakietal.2022, author = {D'Ascenzo, Stefania and Fischer, Martin H. and Shaki, Samuel and Lugli, Luisa}, title = {Number to me, space to you}, series = {Psychonomic bulletin \& review : a journal of the Psychonomic Society}, volume = {29}, journal = {Psychonomic bulletin \& review : a journal of the Psychonomic Society}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1069-9384}, doi = {10.3758/s13423-021-02013-9}, pages = {485 -- 491}, year = {2022}, abstract = {Recent work has shown that number concepts activate both spatial and magnitude representations. According to the social co-representation literature which has shown that participants typically represent task components assigned to others together with their own, we asked whether explicit magnitude meaning and explicit spatial coding must be present in a single mind, or can be distributed across two minds, to generate a spatial-numerical congruency effect. In a shared go/no-go task that eliminated peripheral spatial codes, we assigned explicit magnitude processing to participants and spatial processing to either human or non-human co-agents. The spatial-numerical congruency effect emerged only with human co-agents. We demonstrate an inter-personal level of conceptual congruency between space and number that arises from a shared conceptual representation not contaminated by peripheral spatial codes. Theoretical implications of this finding for numerical cognition are discussed.}, language = {en} } @article{FelisattiAagtenMurphyLaubrocketal.2020, author = {Felisatti, Arianna and Aagten-Murphy, David and Laubrock, Jochen and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {The brain's asymmetric frequency tuning}, series = {Symmetry / Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)}, volume = {12}, journal = {Symmetry / Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI)}, number = {12}, publisher = {MDPI}, address = {Basel}, issn = {2073-8994}, doi = {10.3390/sym12122083}, pages = {25}, year = {2020}, abstract = {To construct a coherent multi-modal percept, vertebrate brains extract low-level features (such as spatial and temporal frequencies) from incoming sensory signals. However, because frequency processing is lateralized with the right hemisphere favouring low frequencies while the left favours higher frequencies, this introduces asymmetries between the hemispheres. Here, we describe how this lateralization shapes the development of several cognitive domains, ranging from visuo-spatial and numerical cognition to language, social cognition, and even aesthetic appreciation, and leads to the emergence of asymmetries in behaviour. We discuss the neuropsychological and educational implications of these emergent asymmetries and suggest future research approaches.}, language = {en} } @article{WoodShakiFischer2021, author = {Wood, Danielle and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Turn the beat around: Commentary on "Slow and fast beat sequences are represented differently through space" (De Tommaso \& Prpic, 2020, in Attention, Perception, \& Psychophysics)}, series = {Attention, perception, \& psychophysics : AP\&P ; a journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc.}, volume = {83}, journal = {Attention, perception, \& psychophysics : AP\&P ; a journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc.}, number = {4}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1943-3921}, doi = {10.3758/s13414-021-02247-8}, pages = {1518 -- 1521}, year = {2021}, abstract = {There has been increasing interest in the spatial mapping of various perceptual and cognitive magnitudes, such as expanding the spatial-numerical association of response codes (SNARC) effect into domains outside of numerical cognition. Recently, De Tommaso and Prpic (Attention, Perception, \& Psychophysics, 82, 2765-2773, 2020) reported in this journal that only fast tempos over 104 beats per minute have spatial associations, with more right-sided associations and faster responses for faster tempos. After discussing the role of perceived loudness and possible response strategies, we propose and recommend methodological improvements for further research.}, language = {en} } @article{FelisattiLaubrockShakietal.2020, author = {Felisatti, Arianna and Laubrock, Jochen and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {A biological foundation for spatial-numerical associations}, series = {Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences}, volume = {1477}, journal = {Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences}, number = {1}, publisher = {Wiley}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {0077-8923}, doi = {10.1111/nyas.14418}, pages = {44 -- 53}, year = {2020}, abstract = {"Left" and "right" coordinates control our spatial behavior and even influence abstract thoughts. For number concepts, horizontal spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) have been widely documented: we associate few with left and many with right. Importantly, increments are universally coded on the right side even in preverbal humans and nonhuman animals, thus questioning the fundamental role of directional cultural habits, such as reading or finger counting. Here, we propose a biological, nonnumerical mechanism for the origin of SNAs on the basis of asymmetric tuning of animal brains for different spatial frequencies (SFs). The resulting selective visual processing predicts both universal SNAs and their context-dependence. We support our proposal by analyzing the stimuli used to document SNAs in newborns for their SF content. As predicted, the SFs contained in visual patterns with few versus many elements preferentially engage right versus left brain hemispheres, respectively, thus predicting left-versus rightward behavioral biases. Our "brain's asymmetric frequency tuning" hypothesis explains the perceptual origin of horizontal SNAs for nonsymbolic visual numerosities and might be extensible to the auditory domain.}, language = {en} } @article{ShakiFischer2020, author = {Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Nothing to dance about: unclear evidence for symbolic representations and numerical competence in honeybees}, series = {Proceedings of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, volume = {287}, journal = {Proceedings of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences}, number = {1925}, publisher = {Royal Society}, address = {London}, issn = {0962-8452}, doi = {10.1098/rspb.2019.2840}, pages = {2}, year = {2020}, language = {en} } @article{ShakiFischer2020, author = {Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Systematic spatial distortion of quantitative estimates}, series = {Psychological research}, volume = {85}, journal = {Psychological research}, number = {6}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-020-01390-5}, pages = {2177 -- 2185}, year = {2020}, 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.}, language = {en} } @article{FischerWinterFelisattietal.2021, author = {Fischer, Martin H. and Winter, Bodo and Felisatti, Arianna and Myachykov, Andriy and Jeglinski-Mende, Melinda A. and Shaki, Samuel}, title = {More instructions make fewer subtractions}, series = {Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation}, volume = {12}, journal = {Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation}, publisher = {Frontiers Research Foundation}, address = {Lausanne, Schweiz}, issn = {1664-1078}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720616}, pages = {1 -- 3}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Research on problem solving offers insights into how humans process task-related information and which strategies they use (Newell and Simon, 1972; {\"O}llinger et al., 2014). Problem solving can be defined as the search for possible changes in one's mind (Kahneman, 2003). In a recent study, Adams et al. (2021) assessed whether the predominant problem solving strategy when making changes involves adding or subtracting elements. In order to do this, they used several examples of simple problems, such as editing text or making visual patterns symmetrical, either in naturalistic settings or on-line. The essence of the authors' findings is a strong preference to add rather than subtract elements across a diverse range of problems, including the stabilizing of artifacts, creating symmetrical patterns, or editing texts. More specifically, they succeeded in demonstrating that "participants were less likely to identify advantageous subtractive changes when the task did not (vs. did) cue them to consider subtraction, when they had only one opportunity (vs. several) to recognize the shortcomings of an additive search strategy or when they were under a higher (vs. lower) cognitive load" (Adams et al., 2021, p. 258). Addition and subtraction are generally defined as de-contextualized mathematical operations using abstract symbols (Russell, 1903/1938). Nevertheless, understanding of both symbols and operations is informed by everyday activities, such as making or breaking objects (Lakoff and N{\´u}{\~n}ez, 2000; Fischer and Shaki, 2018). The universal attribution of "addition bias" or "subtraction neglect" to problem solving activities is perhaps a convenient shorthand but it overlooks influential framing effects beyond those already acknowledged in the report and the accompanying commentary (Meyvis and Yoon, 2021). Most importantly, while Adams et al.'s study addresses an important issue, their very method of verbally instructing participants, together with lack of control over several known biases, might render their findings less than conclusive. Below, we discuss our concerns that emerged from the identified biases, namely those regarding the instructions and the experimental materials. Moreover, we refer to research from mathematical cognition that provides new insights into Adams et al.'s findings.}, language = {en} } @article{ShakiPinhasFischer2017, author = {Shaki, Samuel and Pinhas, Michal and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Heuristics and biases in mental arithmetic}, series = {Thinking \& Reasoning}, volume = {24}, journal = {Thinking \& Reasoning}, number = {2}, publisher = {Routledge, Taylor \& Francis Group}, address = {Abingdon}, issn = {1354-6783}, doi = {10.1080/13546783.2017.1348987}, pages = {138 -- 156}, year = {2017}, abstract = {Mental arithmetic is characterised by a tendency to overestimate addition and to underestimate subtraction results: the operational momentum (OM) effect. Here, motivated by contentious explanations of this effect, we developed and tested an arithmetic heuristics and biases model that predicts reverse OM due to cognitive anchoring effects. Participants produced bi-directional lines with lengths corresponding to the results of arithmetic problems. In two experiments, we found regular OM with zero problems (e.g., 3+0, 3-0) but reverse OM with non-zero problems (e.g., 2+1, 4-1). In a third experiment, we tested the prediction of our model. Our results suggest the presence of at least three competing biases in mental arithmetic: a more-or-less heuristic, a sign-space association and an anchoring bias. We conclude that mental arithmetic exhibits shortcuts for decision-making similar to traditional domains of reasoning and problem-solving.}, language = {en} }