TY - THES A1 - Felisatti, Arianna T1 - Spatial-numerical associations: From biological foundations to embodied learning to contextual flexibility T1 - Räumlich-numerische Assoziationen: Von den biologischen Grundlagen über das verkörperte Lernen bis zur kontextuellen Flexibilität N2 - Among the different meanings carried by numerical information, cardinality is fundamental for survival and for the development of basic as well as of higher numerical skills. Importantly, the human brain inherits from evolution a predisposition to map cardinality onto space, as revealed by the presence of spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) in humans and animals. Here, the mapping of cardinal information onto physical space is addressed as a hallmark signature characterizing numerical cognition. According to traditional approaches, cognition is defined as complex forms of internal information processing, taking place in the brain (cognitive processor). On the contrary, embodied cognition approaches define cognition as functionally linked to perception and action, in the continuous interaction between a biological body and its physical and sociocultural environment. Embracing the principles of the embodied cognition perspective, I conducted four novel studies designed to unveil how SNAs originate, develop, and adapt, depending on characteristics of the organism, the context, and their interaction. I structured my doctoral thesis in three levels. At the grounded level (Study 1), I unfold the biological foundations underlying the tendency to map cardinal information across space; at the embodied level (Study 2), I reveal the impact of atypical motor development on the construction of SNAs; at the situated level (Study 3), I document the joint influence of visuospatial attention and task properties on SNAs. Furthermore, I experimentally investigate the presence of associations between physical and numerical distance, another numerical property fundamental for the development of efficient mathematical minds (Study 4). In Study 1, I present the Brain’s Asymmetric Frequency Tuning hypothesis that relies on hemispheric asymmetries for processing spatial frequencies, a low-level visual feature that the (in)vertebrate brain extracts from any visual scene to create a coherent percept of the world. Computational analyses of the power spectra of the original stimuli used to document the presence of SNAs in human newborns and animals, support the brain’s asymmetric frequency tuning as a theoretical account and as an evolutionarily inherited mechanism scaffolding the universal and innate tendency to represent cardinality across horizontal space. In Study 2, I explore SNAs in children with rare genetic neuromuscular diseases: spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). SMA children never accomplish independent motoric exploration of their environment; in contrast, DMD children do explore but later lose this ability. The different SNAs reported by the two groups support the critical role of early sensorimotor experiences in the spatial representation of cardinality. In Study 3, I directly compare the effects of overt attentional orientation during explicit and implicit processing of numerical magnitude. First, the different effects of attentional orienting based on the type of assessment support different mechanisms underlying SNAs during explicit and implicit assessment of numerical magnitude. Secondly, the impact of vertical shifts of attention on the processing of numerical distance sheds light on the correspondence between numerical distance and peri-personal distance. In Study 4, I document the presence of different SNAs, driven by numerical magnitude and numerical distance, by employing different response mappings (left vs. right and near vs. distant). In the field of numerical cognition, the four studies included in the present thesis contribute to unveiling how the characteristics of the organism and the environment influence the emergence, the development, and the flexibility of our attitude to represent cardinal information across space, thus supporting the predictions of the embodied cognition approach. Furthermore, they inform a taxonomy of body-centred factors (biological properties of the brain and sensorimotor system) modulating the spatial representation of cardinality throughout the course of life, at the grounded, embodied, and situated levels. If the awareness for different variables influencing SNAs over the course of life is important, it is equally important to consider the organism as a whole in its sensorimotor interaction with the world. Inspired by my doctoral research, here I propose a holistic perspective that considers the role of evolution, embodiment, and environment in the association of cardinal information with directional space. The new perspective advances the current approaches to SNAs, both at the conceptual and at the methodological levels. Unveiling how the mental representation of cardinality emerges, develops, and adapts is necessary to shape efficient mathematical minds and achieve economic productivity, technological progress, and a higher quality of life. N2 - Unter den verschiedenen Bedeutungsaspekten numerischer Informationen ist die Kardinalität fundamental für das Überleben und die Entwicklung grundlegender sowie fortgeschrittener numerischer Fähigkeiten. Ein wichtiger Aspekt ist, dass das menschliche Gehirn evolutionär die Prädisposition besitzt, Kardinalität auf den Raum abzubilden, wie das Vorhandensein von räumlich-numerischen Assoziationen [engl. spatial-numerical associations, SNA] bei Menschen und Tieren zeigt. Hier wird die Abbildung kardinaler Informationen auf den physischen Raum als charakteristisches Merkmal der numerischen Kognition untersucht. Nach traditionellen Ansätzen wird Kognition als eine komplexe Form der internen Informationsverarbeitung definiert, die im Gehirn stattfindet (kognitiver Prozessor). Im Gegensatz dazu betrachten Ansätze der verkörperten Kognition (Embodied Cognition) Kognition als funktionell mit Wahrnehmung und Handlung verbunden, eingebettet in die kontinuierliche Interaktion zwischen einem biologischen Körper und seiner physischen sowie soziokulturellen Umgebung. In Anlehnung an die Prinzipien der Embodied-Cognition-Perspektive habe ich vier innovative Studien durchgeführt, um herauszufinden, wie SNA in Abhängigkeit von den Merkmalen des Organismus, des Kontexts und ihrer Interaktion entstehen, sich entwickeln und anpassen. Meine Doktorarbeit ist auf drei Ebenen strukturiert. Auf der geerdeten („grounded“) Ebene (Studie 1) zeige ich die biologischen Grundlagen auf, die der Tendenz zugrunde liegen, kardinale Informationen über den Raum hinweg abzubilden; auf der verkörperten („embodied“) Ebene (Studie 2) zeige ich die Auswirkungen einer atypischen motorischen Entwicklung auf die Konstruktion von SNA; auf der situativen („situated“) Ebene (Studie 3) dokumentiere ich den gemeinsamen Einfluss von visuell-räumlicher Aufmerksamkeit und von Aufgabeneigenschaften auf SNA. Darüber hinaus untersuche ich experimentell das Vorliegen von Assoziationen zwischen physischer und numerischer Distanz, einer weiteren numerischen Eigenschaft, die für die Entwicklung eines effizienten mathematischen Verstandes grundlegend ist (Studie 4). In Studie 1 stelle ich die Hypothese der asymmetrischen Frequenzabstimmung des Gehirns vor, die sich auf hemisphärische Asymmetrien bei der Verarbeitung räumlicher Frequenzen stützt. Diese räumlichen Frequenzen sind ein visuelles Merkmal auf niedriger Verarbeitungsebene, das das Gehirn von (Nicht-)Wirbeltieren aus jeder visuellen Szene extrahiert, um eine kohärente Wahrnehmung der Welt zu gewährleisten. Computergestützte Analysen der Leistungsspektren der ursprünglichen Stimuli, die verwendet wurden, um die Existenz von SNA bei menschlichen Neugeborenen und Tieren zu dokumentieren, unterstützen die asymmetrische Frequenzabstimmung des Gehirns als theoretische Erklärung. Dieser evolutionär vererbte Mechanismus könnte die universelle und angeborene Tendenz zur Darstellung von Kardinalität im horizontalen Raum erklären. In Studie 2 untersuche ich SNA bei Kindern mit seltenen genetisch bedingten neuromuskulären Krankheiten, nämlich Spinaler Muskelatrophie (SMA) und Duchenne-Muskeldystrophie (DMD). Kinder mit SMA sind nicht in der Lage, ihre Umwelt selbstständig motorisch zu erkunden, während Kinder mit DMD diese Fähigkeit anfangs besitzen, sie aber im Laufe der Zeit verlieren. Die unterschiedlichen SNA, die von den beiden Gruppen berichtet werden, belegen die entscheidende Rolle früher sensomotorischer Erfahrungen für die räumliche Repräsentation von Kardinalität. In Studie 3 vergleiche ich direkt die Auswirkungen der offenen Aufmerksamkeitsorientierung während der expliziten und impliziten Verarbeitung numerischer Größenordnungen. Erstens zeigen die unterschiedlichen Auswirkungen der Aufmerksamkeitsorientierung je nach Art der Bewertung unterschiedliche Mechanismen auf, die den SNA bei der expliziten und impliziten Beurteilung numerischer Größen zugrunde liegen. Zweitens deutet die Wirkung der vertikalen Aufmerksamkeitsverschiebung auf die Verarbeitung numerischer Distanzen auf eine Korrelation zwischen numerischer Distanz und peripersonaler Distanz hin. In Studie 4 belege ich das Vorliegen unterschiedlicher SNA, die durch numerische Größe und numerische Distanz gesteuert werden, mittels verschiedener Antwortzuordnungen (links vs. rechts und nah vs. fern). Die vier Studien dieser Arbeit auf dem Gebiet der numerischen Kognition zeigen, wie die Eigenschaften des Organismus und der Umwelt die Entstehung, Entwicklung und Flexibilität der Fähigkeit beeinflussen, kardinale Informationen über den Raum hinweg zu repräsentieren, und unterstützen damit die Vorhersagen des Ansatzes der verkörperten Kognition. Darüber hinaus liefern sie Einblicke in eine Taxonomie körperbezogener Faktoren, darunter biologische Merkmale des Gehirns und des sensomotorischen Systems, die die räumliche Repräsentation von Kardinalität im Laufe des Lebens auf den „grounded“, „embodied“ und „situated“ Ebenen modulieren. Die Kenntnis der verschiedenen Variablen, die die SNA im Laufe des Lebens beeinflussen, ist ebenso wichtig wie die Betrachtung des Organismus als Ganzes in seiner sensomotorischen Interaktion mit der Welt. Inspiriert von meiner Doktorarbeit schlage ich hier eine ganzheitliche Perspektive vor, die die Rolle der Evolution, der Verkörperung und der Umwelt bei unserer Assoziation von kardinalen Informationen mit Raum berücksichtigt. Diese neue Perspektive erweitert die derzeitigen Ansätze zu SNA sowohl auf konzeptioneller als auch auf methodologischer Ebene. Die Erforschung der Entstehung, Entwicklung und Anpassung der mentalen Repräsentation von Kardinalität ist entscheidend, um effiziente mathematische Fähigkeiten zu entwickeln sowie wirtschaftliche Produktivität, technologischen Fortschritt und eine verbesserte Lebensqualität zu fördern. KW - numerical cognition KW - spatial-numerical associations KW - SNARC effect KW - numerical distance effect KW - hemispheric asymmetry KW - child development KW - visuospatial attention KW - embodied cognition KW - grounded cognition KW - situated cognition KW - numerische Kognition KW - räumlich-numerische Assoziationen KW - SNARC-Effekt KW - numerischer Abstandseffekt KW - hemisphärische Asymmetrie KW - kindliche Entwicklung KW - visuell-räumliche Aufmerksamkeit KW - verkörperte Kognition KW - geerdete („grounded“) Kognition KW - situierte („situated“ Kognition Y1 - 2024 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-641791 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schmidt, Hendrikje A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Aster, Michael von A1 - Wilbert, Jürgen A1 - Moers, Arpad von A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Neuromuscular diseases affect number representation and processing BT - An exploratory study JF - Frontiers in psychology / Frontiers Research Foundation N2 - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) both are rare genetic neuromuscular diseases with progressive loss of motor ability. The neuromotor developmental course of those diseases is well documented. In contrast, there is only little evidence about characteristics of general and specific cognitive development. In both conditions the final motor outcome is characterized by an inability to move autonomously: children with SMA never accomplish independent motoric exploration of their environment, while children with DMD do but later lose this ability again. These profound differences in developmental pathways might affect cognitive development of SMA vs. DMD children, as cognition is shaped by individual motor experiences. DMD patients show impaired executive functions, working memory, and verbal IQ, whereas only motor ability seems to be impaired in SMA. Advanced cognitive capacity in SMA may serve as a compensatory mechanism for achieving in education, career progression, and social satisfaction. This study aimed to relate differences in basic numerical concepts and arithmetic achievement in SMA and DMD patients to differences in their motor development and resulting sensorimotor and environmental experiences. Horizontal and vertical spatial-numerical associations were explored in SMA/DMD children ranging between 6 and 12 years through the random number generation task. Furthermore, arithmetic skills as well as general cognitive ability were assessed. Groups differed in spatial number processing as well as in arithmetic and domain-general cognitive functions. Children with SMA showed no horizontal and even reversed vertical spatial-numerical associations. Children with DMD on the other hand revealed patterns in spatial numerical associations comparable to healthy developing children. From the embodied Cognition perspective, early sensorimotor experience does play a role in development of mental number representations. However, it remains open whether and how this becomes relevant for the acquisition of higher order cognitive and arithmetic skills. KW - spatial-numerical associations KW - numerical processing KW - mathematics KW - child development KW - embodied cognition KW - neuromuscular disease KW - spinal muscular atrophy KW - Duchenne muscular dystrophy Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.697881 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 12 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Schmidt, Hendrikje A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Aster, Michael von A1 - Wilbert, Jürgen A1 - Moers, Arpad von A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Neuromuscular Diseases Affect Number Representation and Processing BT - An Exploratory Study T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) both are rare genetic neuromuscular diseases with progressive loss of motor ability. The neuromotor developmental course of those diseases is well documented. In contrast, there is only little evidence about characteristics of general and specific cognitive development. In both conditions the final motor outcome is characterized by an inability to move autonomously: children with SMA never accomplish independent motoric exploration of their environment, while children with DMD do but later lose this ability again. These profound differences in developmental pathways might affect cognitive development of SMA vs. DMD children, as cognition is shaped by individual motor experiences. DMD patients show impaired executive functions, working memory, and verbal IQ, whereas only motor ability seems to be impaired in SMA. Advanced cognitive capacity in SMA may serve as a compensatory mechanism for achieving in education, career progression, and social satisfaction. This study aimed to relate differences in basic numerical concepts and arithmetic achievement in SMA and DMD patients to differences in their motor development and resulting sensorimotor and environmental experiences. Horizontal and vertical spatial-numerical associations were explored in SMA/DMD children ranging between 6 and 12 years through the random number generation task. Furthermore, arithmetic skills as well as general cognitive ability were assessed. Groups differed in spatial number processing as well as in arithmetic and domain-general cognitive functions. Children with SMA showed no horizontal and even reversed vertical spatial-numerical associations. Children with DMD on the other hand revealed patterns in spatial numerical associations comparable to healthy developing children. From the embodied Cognition perspective, early sensorimotor experience does play a role in development of mental number representations. However, it remains open whether and how this becomes relevant for the acquisition of higher order cognitive and arithmetic skills. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 718 KW - spatial-numerical associations KW - numerical processing KW - mathematics KW - child development KW - embodied cognition KW - neuromuscular disease KW - spinal muscular atrophy KW - Duchenne muscular dystrophy Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-522312 SN - 1866-8364 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Commentary: Down with Retirement: Implications of Embodied Cognition for Healthy Aging T2 - Frontiers in psychology KW - child development KW - embodied cognition KW - lifespan KW - mobile phone KW - tablet computers KW - digital technologies Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00599 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 8 SP - 9 EP - 22 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hermanussen, Michael A1 - Lieberman, Leslie Su A1 - Janewa, V. Schoenfeld A1 - Scheffler, Christiane A1 - Ghosh, Arunava A1 - Bogin, Barry A1 - Godina, Elena A1 - Kaczmarek, M. A1 - El-Shabrawi, M. A1 - Salama, E. E. A1 - Rühli, Frank J. A1 - Staub, Kaspar A1 - Woitek, U. A1 - Blaha, Pawel A1 - Aßmann, Christian A1 - van Buuren, Stef A1 - Lehmann, A. A1 - Satake, T. A1 - Thodberg, H. H. A1 - Jopp, E. A1 - Kirchengast, S. A1 - Tutkuviene, J. A1 - McIntyre, M. H. A1 - Wittwer-Backofen, U. A1 - Boldsen, Jesper L. A1 - Martin, D. D. A1 - Meier, J. T1 - Diversity in auxology between theory and practice JF - Journal of biological and clinical anthropology : Anthropologischer Anzeiger ; Mitteilungsorgan der Gesellschaft für Anthropologie N2 - Auxology has developed from mere describing child and adolescent growth into a vivid and interdisciplinary research area encompassing human biologists, physicians, social scientists, economists and biostatisticians. The meeting illustrated the diversity in auxology, with the various social, medical, biological and biostatistical aspects in studies on child growth and development. KW - child growth KW - adolescent growth KW - child development KW - height KW - weight KW - body mass KW - socio-economic environment Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1127/0003-5548/2012/0133 SN - 0003-5548 VL - 69 IS - 2 SP - 159 EP - 174 PB - Schweizerbart CY - Stuttgart ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Passow, Susanne A1 - Müller, Maike A1 - Westerhausen, Rene A1 - Hugdahl, Kenneth A1 - Wartenburger, Isabell A1 - Heekeren, Hauke R. A1 - Lindenberger, Ulman A1 - Li, Shu-Chen T1 - Development of attentional control of verbal auditory perception from middle to late childhood - comparisons to healthy aging JF - Developmental psychology N2 - Multitalker situations confront listeners with a plethora of competing auditory inputs, and hence require selective attention to relevant information, especially when the perceptual saliency of distracting inputs is high. This study augmented the classical forced-attention dichotic listening paradigm by adding an interaural intensity manipulation to investigate developmental differences in the interplay between perceptual saliency and attentional control during auditory processing between early and middle childhood. We found that older children were able to flexibly focus on instructed auditory inputs from either the right or the left ear, overcoming the effects of perceptual saliency. In contrast, younger children implemented their attentional focus less efficiently. Direct comparisons of the present data with data from a recently published study of younger and older adults from our group suggest that younger children and older adults show similar levels of performance. Critically, follow-up comparisons revealed that younger children's performance restrictions reflect difficulties in attentional control only, whereas older adults' performance deficits also reflect an exaggerated reliance on perceptual saliency. We conclude that auditory attentional control improves considerably from middle to late childhood and that auditory attention deficits in healthy aging cannot be reduced to a simple reversal of child developmental improvements. KW - child development KW - attentional control KW - auditory perception KW - aging KW - dichotic listening Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031207 SN - 0012-1649 VL - 49 IS - 10 SP - 1982 EP - 1993 PB - American Psychological Association CY - Washington ER -