TY - JOUR A1 - Ninaus, Manuel A1 - Moeller, Korbinian A1 - Kaufmann, Liane A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Nuerk, Hans-Christoph A1 - Wood, Guilherme T1 - Cognitive Mechanisms Underlying Directional and Non-directional Spatial-Numerical Associations across the Lifespan JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - There is accumulating evidence suggesting an association of numbers with physical space. However, the origin of such spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) is still debated. In the present study we investigated the development of two SNAs in a cross-sectional study involving children, young and middle-aged adults as well as the elderly: (1) the SNARC (spatial-numerical association of response codes) effect, reflecting a directional SNA; and (2) the numerical bisection bias in a line bisection task with numerical flankers. Results revealed a consistent SNARC effect in all age groups that continuously increased with age. In contrast, a numerical bisection bias was only observed for children and elderly participants, implying an U-shaped distribution of this bias across age groups. Additionally, individual SNARC effects and numerical bisection biases did not correlate significantly. We argue that the SNARC effect seems to be influenced by longer-lasting experiences of cultural constraints such as reading and writing direction and may thus reflect embodied representations. Contrarily, the numerical bisection bias may originate from insufficient inhibition of the semantic influence of irrelevant numerical flankers, which should be more pronounced in children and elderly people due to development and decline of cognitive control, respectively. As there is an ongoing debate on the origins of SNAs in general and the SNARC effect in particular, the present results are discussed in light of these differing accounts in an integrative approach. However, taken together, the present pattern of results suggests that different cognitive mechanisms underlie the SNARC effect and the numerical bisection bias. KW - SNARC effect KW - spatial-numerical bias KW - line bisection task KW - cognitive development KW - aging Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01421 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 8 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sixtus, Elena A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Lindemann, Oliver T1 - Finger posing primes number comprehension JF - Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science N2 - Canonical finger postures, as used in counting, activate number knowledge, but the exact mechanism for this priming effect is unclear. Here we dissociated effects of visual versus motor priming of number concepts. In Experiment 1, participants were exposed either to pictures of canonical finger postures (visual priming) or actively produced the same finger postures (motor priming) and then used foot responses to rapidly classify auditory numbers (targets) as smaller or larger than 5. Classification times revealed that manually adopted but not visually perceived postures primed magnitude classifications. Experiment 2 obtained motor priming of number processing through finger postures also with vocal responses. Priming only occurred through canonical and not through non-canonical finger postures. Together, these results provide clear evidence for motor priming of number knowledge. Relative contributions of vision and action for embodied numerical cognition and the importance of canonicity of postures are discussed. KW - Embodied cognition KW - Finger counting KW - Numerical cognition KW - Priming Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-017-0804-y SN - 1612-4782 SN - 1612-4790 VL - 18 SP - 237 EP - 248 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Lindemann, Oliver T1 - Spatial-numerical associations without a motor response? Grip force says ‘Yes’ JF - Acta Psychologica N2 - In numerical processing, the functional role of Spatial-Numerical Associations (SNAs, such as the association of smaller numbers with left space and larger numbers with right space, the Mental Number Line hypothesis) is debated. Most studies demonstrate SNAs with lateralized responses, and there is little evidence that SNAs appear when no response is required. We recorded passive holding grip forces in no-go trials during number processing. In Experiment 1, participants performed a surface numerical decision task (“Is it a number or a letter?”). In Experiment 2, we used a deeper semantic task (“Is this number larger or smaller than five?”). Despite instruction to keep their grip force constant, participants' spontaneous grip force changed in both experiments: Smaller numbers led to larger force increase in the left than in the right hand in the numerical decision task (500–700 ms after stimulus onset). In the semantic task, smaller numbers again led to larger force increase in the left hand, and larger numbers increased the right-hand holding force. This effect appeared earlier (180 ms) and lasted longer (until 580 ms after stimulus onset). This is the first demonstration of SNAs with passive holding force. Our result suggests that (1) explicit motor response is not a prerequisite for SNAs to appear, and (2) the timing and strength of SNAs are task-dependent. (216 words). KW - SNARC KW - Mental number line KW - Number processing KW - Embodied cognition KW - Grip force KW - Motor system Y1 - 2022 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103791 SN - 1873-6297 VL - 231 SP - 1 EP - 17 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - GEN A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A. A1 - Lindemann, Oliver A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Think of the future in the right way BT - Processing time activates the motor system T2 - Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science Y1 - 2018 SN - 1612-4782 SN - 1612-4790 VL - 19 SP - S46 EP - S46 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Göbel, Silke M. A1 - McCrink, Koleen A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Shaki, Samuel T1 - Observation of directional storybook reading influences young children’s counting direction JF - Journal of experimental child psychology N2 - Even before formal schooling, children map numbers onto space in a directional manner. The origin of this preliterate spatial–numerical association is still debated. We investigated the role of enculturation for shaping the directionality of the association between numbers and space, focusing on counting behavior in 3- to 5-year-old preliterate children. Two studies provide evidence that, after observing reading from storybooks (left-to-right or right-to-left reading) children change their counting direction in line with the direction of observed reading. Just observing visuospatial directional movements had no such effect on counting direction. Complementarily, we document that book illustrations, prevalent in children’s cultures, exhibit directionality that conforms to the direction of a culture’s written language. We propose that shared book reading activates spatiotemporal representations of order in young children, which in turn affect their spatial representation of numbers. KW - Counting direction KW - Cross-cultural KW - Mental number line KW - Reading KW - Spatial-numerical association KW - Preschool children Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2017.08.001 SN - 0022-0965 SN - 1096-0457 VL - 166 SP - 49 EP - 66 PB - Elsevier CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Yuefang A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Mimicking non-verbal emotional expressions and empathy development in simulated consultations BT - an experimental feasibility study JF - Patient education and counseling N2 - Objective: To explore the feasibility of applying an experimental design to study the relationship between non-verbal emotions and empathy development in simulated consultations. Method: In video-recorded simulated consultations, twenty clinicians were randomly allocated to either an experimental group (instructed to mimic non-verbal emotions of a simulated patient, SP) or a control group (no such instruction). Baseline empathy scores were obtained before consultation, relational empathy was rated by SP after consultation. Multilevel logistic regression modelled the probability of mimicry occurrence, controlling for baseline empathy and clinical experience. ANCOVA compared group differences on relational empathy and consultation smoothness. Results: Instructed mimicry lasted longer than spontaneous mimicry. Mimicry was marginally related to improved relational empathy. SP felt being treated more like a whole person during consultations with spontaneous mimicry. Clinicians who displayed spontaneous mimicry felt consultations went more smoothly. Conclusion: The experimental approach improved our understanding of how non-verbal emotional mimicry contributed to relational empathy development during consultations. Further work should ascertain the potential of instructed mimicry to enhance empathy development. Practice implications: Understanding how non-verbal emotional mimicry impacts on patients’ perceived clinician empathy during consultations may inform training and intervention programme development. KW - Mimicry KW - Non-verbal emotion KW - Empathy KW - Experimental design Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2017.08.016 SN - 0738-3991 VL - 101 IS - 2 SP - 304 EP - 309 PB - Elsevier Science CY - Clare ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kulkova, Elena S. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Idioms in the World BT - A Focus on Processing T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 561 KW - embodiment KW - figurative language KW - metaphor KW - idiom KW - processing Y1 - 2019 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-435704 SN - 1866-8364 IS - 561 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Adam, Jos J. A1 - Bovend'Eerdt, Thamar J. H. A1 - Dooren, Fleur E. P. van A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Pratt, Jay T1 - The closer the better BT - hand proximity dynamically affects letter recognition accuracy T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - A growing literature has suggested that processing of visual information presented near the hands is facilitated. In this study, we investigated whether the near-hands superiority effect also occurs with the hands moving. In two experiments, participants performed a cyclical bimanual movement task requiring concurrent visual identification of briefly presented letters. For both the static and dynamic hand conditions, the results showed improved letter recognition performance with the hands closer to the stimuli. The finding that the encoding advantage for near-hand stimuli also occurred with the hands moving suggests that the effect is regulated in real time, in accordance with the concept of a bimodal neural system that dynamically updates hand position in external space. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 607 KW - perception and action Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-432963 SN - 1866-8364 IS - 607 SP - 1533 EP - 1538 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Lobmaier, Janek S. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Facial Feedback Affects Perceived Intensity but Not Quality of Emotional Expressions JF - Brain Sciences N2 - Motivated by conflicting evidence in the literature, we re-assessed the role of facial feedback when detecting quantitative or qualitative changes in others’ emotional expressions. Fifty-three healthy adults observed self-paced morph sequences where the emotional facial expression either changed quantitatively (i.e., sad-to-neutral, neutral-to-sad, happy-to-neutral, neutral-to-happy) or qualitatively (i.e. from sad to happy, or from happy to sad). Observers held a pen in their own mouth to induce smiling or frowning during the detection task. When morph sequences started or ended with neutral expressions we replicated a congruency effect: Happiness was perceived longer and sooner while smiling; sadness was perceived longer and sooner while frowning. Interestingly, no such congruency effects occurred for transitions between emotional expressions. These results suggest that facial feedback is especially useful when evaluating the intensity of a facial expression, but less so when we have to recognize which emotion our counterpart is expressing. KW - embodied cognition KW - emotional expression KW - emotion recognition KW - facial feedback KW - face morphing Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci5030357 SN - 2076-3425 VL - 5 IS - 3 SP - 357 EP - 368 PB - MDPI AG CY - Basel ER - TY - GEN A1 - Lobmaier, Janek S. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Facial Feedback Affects Perceived Intensity but Not Quality of Emotional Expressions N2 - Motivated by conflicting evidence in the literature, we re-assessed the role of facial feedback when detecting quantitative or qualitative changes in others’ emotional expressions. Fifty-three healthy adults observed self-paced morph sequences where the emotional facial expression either changed quantitatively (i.e., sad-to-neutral, neutral-to-sad, happy-to-neutral, neutral-to-happy) or qualitatively (i.e. from sad to happy, or from happy to sad). Observers held a pen in their own mouth to induce smiling or frowning during the detection task. When morph sequences started or ended with neutral expressions we replicated a congruency effect: Happiness was perceived longer and sooner while smiling; sadness was perceived longer and sooner while frowning. Interestingly, no such congruency effects occurred for transitions between emotional expressions. These results suggest that facial feedback is especially useful when evaluating the intensity of a facial expression, but less so when we have to recognize which emotion our counterpart is expressing. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 302 KW - embodied cognition KW - emotional expression KW - emotion recognition KW - facial feedback KW - face morphing Y1 - 2015 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-96428 SP - 357 EP - 368 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Competing Biases in Mental Arithmetic BT - When Division Is More and Multiplication Is Less JF - Frontiers in human neuroscience N2 - Mental arithmetic exhibits various biases. Among those is a tendency to overestimate addition and to underestimate subtraction outcomes. Does such “operational momentum” (OM) also affect multiplication and division? Twenty-six adults produced lines whose lengths corresponded to the correct outcomes of multiplication and division problems shown in symbolic format. We found a reliable tendency to over-estimate division outcomes, i.e., reverse OM. We suggest that anchoring on the first operand (a tendency to use this number as a reference for further quantitative reasoning) contributes to cognitive biases in mental arithmetic. KW - heuristics and biases KW - numerical cognition KW - mental arithmetic KW - mental number line KW - operational momentum Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2017.00037 SN - 1662-5161 VL - 11 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Competing Biases in Mental Arithmetic BT - When Division Is More and Multiplication Is Less N2 - Mental arithmetic exhibits various biases. Among those is a tendency to overestimate addition and to underestimate subtraction outcomes. Does such “operational momentum” (OM) also affect multiplication and division? Twenty-six adults produced lines whose lengths corresponded to the correct outcomes of multiplication and division problems shown in symbolic format. We found a reliable tendency to over-estimate division outcomes, i.e., reverse OM. We suggest that anchoring on the first operand (a tendency to use this number as a reference for further quantitative reasoning) contributes to cognitive biases in mental arithmetic. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 312 KW - heuristics and biases KW - mental arithmetic KW - mental number line KW - numerical cognition KW - operational momentum Y1 - 2017 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-103492 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Gerth, Sabrina A1 - Klassert, Annegret A1 - Dolk, Thomas A1 - Fliesser, Michael A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Nottbusch, Guido A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Is Handwriting Performance Affected by the Writing Surface? BT - Comparing Preschoolers', Second Graders', and Adults' Writing Performance on a Tablet vs. Paper JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - Due to their multifunctionality, tablets offer tremendous advantages for research on handwriting dynamics or for interactive use of learning apps in schools. Further, the widespread use of tablet computers has had a great impact on handwriting in the current generation. But, is it advisable to teach how to write and to assess handwriting in pre- and primary schoolchildren on tablets rather than on paper? Since handwriting is not automatized before the age of 10 years, children's handwriting movements require graphomotor and visual feedback as well as permanent control of movement execution during handwriting. Modifications in writing conditions, for instance the smoother writing surface of a tablet, might influence handwriting performance in general and in particular those of non-automatized beginning writers. In order to investigate how handwriting performance is affected by a difference in friction of the writing surface, we recruited three groups with varying levels of handwriting automaticity: 25 preschoolers, 27 second graders, and 25 adults. We administered three tasks measuring graphomotor abilities, visuomotor abilities, and handwriting performance (only second graders and adults). We evaluated two aspects of handwriting performance: the handwriting quality with a visual score and the handwriting dynamics using online handwriting measures [e.g., writing duration, writing velocity, strokes and number of inversions in velocity (NIV)]. In particular, NIVs which describe the number of velocity peaks during handwriting are directly related to the level of handwriting automaticity. In general, we found differences between writing on paper compared to the tablet. These differences were partly task-dependent. The comparison between tablet and paper revealed a faster writing velocity for all groups and all tasks on the tablet which indicates that all participants—even the experienced writers—were influenced by the lower friction of the tablet surface. Our results for the group-comparison show advancing levels in handwriting automaticity from preschoolers to second graders to adults, which confirms that our method depicts handwriting performance in groups with varying degrees of handwriting automaticity. We conclude that the smoother tablet surface requires additional control of handwriting movements and therefore might present an additional challenge for learners of handwriting. KW - handwriting KW - movement kinematics KW - writing acquisition KW - children KW - graphomotor control KW - tablet Y1 - 2016 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01308 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 7 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Gerth, Sabrina A1 - Klassert, Annegret A1 - Dolk, Thomas A1 - Fliesser, Michael A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Nottbusch, Guido A1 - Festman, Julia T1 - Is Handwriting Performance Affected by the Writing Surface? BT - Comparing Preschoolers', Second Graders', and Adults' Writing Performance on a Tablet vs. Paper N2 - Due to their multifunctionality, tablets offer tremendous advantages for research on handwriting dynamics or for interactive use of learning apps in schools. Further, the widespread use of tablet computers has had a great impact on handwriting in the current generation. But, is it advisable to teach how to write and to assess handwriting in pre- and primary schoolchildren on tablets rather than on paper? Since handwriting is not automatized before the age of 10 years, children's handwriting movements require graphomotor and visual feedback as well as permanent control of movement execution during handwriting. Modifications in writing conditions, for instance the smoother writing surface of a tablet, might influence handwriting performance in general and in particular those of non-automatized beginning writers. In order to investigate how handwriting performance is affected by a difference in friction of the writing surface, we recruited three groups with varying levels of handwriting automaticity: 25 preschoolers, 27 second graders, and 25 adults. We administered three tasks measuring graphomotor abilities, visuomotor abilities, and handwriting performance (only second graders and adults). We evaluated two aspects of handwriting performance: the handwriting quality with a visual score and the handwriting dynamics using online handwriting measures [e.g., writing duration, writing velocity, strokes and number of inversions in velocity (NIV)]. In particular, NIVs which describe the number of velocity peaks during handwriting are directly related to the level of handwriting automaticity. In general, we found differences between writing on paper compared to the tablet. These differences were partly task-dependent. The comparison between tablet and paper revealed a faster writing velocity for all groups and all tasks on the tablet which indicates that all participants—even the experienced writers—were influenced by the lower friction of the tablet surface. Our results for the group-comparison show advancing levels in handwriting automaticity from preschoolers to second graders to adults, which confirms that our method depicts handwriting performance in groups with varying degrees of handwriting automaticity. We conclude that the smoother tablet surface requires additional control of handwriting movements and therefore might present an additional challenge for learners of handwriting. T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 308 KW - children KW - graphomotor control KW - handwriting KW - movement kinematics KW - tablet KW - writing acquisition Y1 - 2016 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-100384 ER - TY - GEN A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Laubrock, Jochen A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Commentary BT - A mental number line in human newborns T2 - Postprints der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 620 KW - spatial-numerical associations KW - SNARC KW - mental number line (MNL) KW - spatial frequency (SF) KW - temporal frequency KW - hemispheric asymmetry KW - newborns KW - embodied cognition Y1 - 2020 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-460413 SN - 1866-8364 IS - 620 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Myachykov, Andriy A1 - Chapman, Ashley J. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Cross-representational interactions BT - Interface and overlap mechanisms JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - A crucial question facing cognitive science concerns the nature of conceptual representations as well as the constraints on the interactions between them. One specific question we address in this paper is what makes cross-representational interplay possible? We offer two distinct theoretical scenarios: according to the first scenario, co-activated knowledge representations interact with the help of an interface established between them via congruent activation in a mediating third-party general cognitive mechanism, e.g., attention. According to the second scenario, co-activated knowledge representations interact due to an overlap between their features, for example when they share a magnitude component. First, we make a case for cross representational interplay based on grounded and situated theories of cognition. Second, we discuss interface-based interactions between distinct (i.e., non-overlapping) knowledge representations. Third, we discuss how co-activated representations may share their architecture via partial overlap. Finally, we outline constraints regarding the flexibility of these proposed mechanisms. KW - representation KW - cross-representational interaction KW - simulation KW - embodiment KW - grounded cognition Y1 - 2017 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 7 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Nazir, Tatjana A. A1 - Hrycyk, Lianna A1 - Moreau, Quentin A1 - Frak, Victor A1 - Cheylus, Anne A1 - Ott, Laurent A1 - Lindemann, Oliver A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Paulignan, Yves A1 - Delevoye-Turrell, Yvonne T1 - A simple technique to study embodied language processes BT - the grip force sensor JF - Behavior research methods : a journal of the Psychonomic Society N2 - Research in cognitive neuroscience has shown that brain structures serving perceptual, emotional, and motor processes are also recruited during the understanding of language when it refers to emotion, perception, and action. However, the exact linguistic and extralinguistic conditions under which such language-induced activity in modality-specific cortex is triggered are not yet well understood. The purpose of this study is to introduce a simple experimental technique that allows for the online measure of language-induced activity in motor structures of the brain. This technique consists in the use of a grip force sensor that captures subtle grip force variations while participants listen to words and sentences. Since grip force reflects activity in motor brain structures, the continuous monitoring of force fluctuations provides a fine-grained estimation of motor activity across time. In other terms, this method allows for both localization of the source of language-induced activity to motor brain structures and high temporal resolution of the recorded data. To facilitate comparison of the data to be collected with this tool, we present two experiments that describe in detail the technical setup, the nature of the recorded data, and the analyses (including justification about the data filtering and artifact rejection) that we applied. We also discuss how the tool could be used in other domains of behavioral research. KW - Grip-force sensor KW - Embodiment KW - Language KW - Motor system Y1 - 2015 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3758/s13428-015-0696-7 SN - 1554-351X SN - 1554-3528 VL - 49 SP - 61 EP - 73 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Deconstructing spatial-numerical associations JF - Cognition : international journal of cognitive science N2 - Spatial-numerical associations (SNAs) have been studied extensively in the past two decades, always requiring either explicit magnitude processing or explicit spatial-directional processing. This means that the typical finding of an association of small numbers with left or bottom space and of larger numbers with right or top space could be due to these requirements and not the conceptual representation of numbers. The present study compares explicit and implicit magnitude processing in an implicit spatial-directional task and identifies SNAs as artefacts of either explicit magnitude processing or explicit spatial-directional processing; they do not reveal spatial conceptual links. This finding requires revision of current accounts of the relationship between numbers and space. KW - Go/no-go task KW - Implicit association task KW - Numerical cognition KW - SNARC effect Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cognition.2018.02.022 SN - 0010-0277 SN - 1873-7838 VL - 175 SP - 109 EP - 113 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - GEN A1 - Kewenig, Viktor A1 - Zhou, Yuefang A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Commentary: Robots as intentional agents BT - Using neuroscientific methods to make robots appear more social T2 - Frontiers in psychology KW - intentionality KW - social robots KW - verbal reports KW - humanoid KW - turing test Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01131 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 9 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ronasi, Golnoush A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Zimmermann, Malte T1 - Language and Arithmetic BT - a failure to find cross cognitive domain semantic priming between exception phrases and subtraction or addition JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - We examined cross-domain semantic priming effects between arithmetic and language. We paired subtractions with their linguistic equivalent, exception phrases (EPs) with positive quantifiers (e.g., "everybody except John") while pairing additions with their own linguistic equivalent, EPs with negative quantifiers (e.g., "nobody except John"; Moltmann, 1995). We hypothesized that EPs with positive quantifiers prime subtractions and inhibit additions while EPs with negative quantifiers prime additions and inhibit subtractions. Furthermore, we expected similar priming and inhibition effects from arithmetic into semantics. Our design allowed for a bidirectional analysis by using one trial's target as the prime for the next trial. Two experiments failed to show significant priming effects in either direction. Implications and possible shortcomings are explored in the general discussion. KW - cross-domain priming KW - language KW - arithmetic KW - information integration KW - cognitive module Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01524 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 9 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Shaki, Samuel T1 - Number concepts: abstract and embodied JF - Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London : B, Biological sciences N2 - Numerical knowledge, including number concepts and arithmetic procedures, seems to be a clear-cut case for abstract symbol manipulation. Yet, evidence from perceptual and motor behaviour reveals that natural number knowledge and simple arithmetic also remain closely associated with modal experiences. Following a review of behavioural, animal and neuroscience studies of number processing, we propose a revised understanding of psychological number concepts as grounded in physical constraints, embodied in experience and situated through task-specific intentions. The idea that number concepts occupy a range of positions on the continuum between abstract and modal conceptual knowledge also accounts for systematic heuristics and biases in mental arithmetic, thus inviting psycho-logical approaches to the study of the mathematical mind. KW - embodied cognition KW - mental arithmetic KW - mental number line KW - numerical cognition KW - SNARC effect Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2017.0125 SN - 0962-8436 SN - 1471-2970 VL - 373 IS - 1752 PB - Royal Society CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Werner, Karsten A1 - Raab, Markus A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Moving arms BT - the effects of sensorimotor information on the problem-solving process JF - Thinking & Reasoning N2 - Embodied cognition postulates a bi-directional link between the human body and its cognitive functions. Whether this holds for higher cognitive functions such as problem solving is unknown. We predicted that arm movement manipulations performed by the participants could affect the problem-solving solutions. We tested this prediction in quantitative reasoning tasks that allowed two solutions to each problem (addition or subtraction). In two studies with healthy adults (N=53 and N=50), we found an effect of problem-congruent movements on problem solutions. Consistent with embodied cognition, sensorimotor information gained via right or left arm movements affects the solution in different types of problem-solving tasks. KW - Embodied cognition KW - eye movements KW - problem solving Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/13546783.2018.1494630 SN - 1354-6783 SN - 1464-0708 VL - 25 IS - 2 SP - 171 EP - 191 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Shaki, Samuel T1 - Repeating Numbers Reduces Results: Violations of the Identity Axiom in Mental Arithmetic JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - Even simple mental arithmetic is fraught with cognitive biases. For example, adding repeated numbers (so-called tie problems, e.g., 2 + 2) not only has a speed and accuracy advantage over adding different numbers (e.g., 1 + 3) but may also lead to under-representation of the result relative to a standard value (Charras et al., 2012, 2014). Does the tie advantage merely reflect easier encoding or retrieval compared to non-ties, or also a distorted result representation? To answer this question, 47 healthy adults performed two tasks, both of which indicated under-representation of tie results: In a result-to-position pointing task (Experiment 1) we measured the spatial mapping of numbers and found a left-bias for tie compared to non-tie problems. In a result-to-line-length production task (Experiment 2) we measured the underlying magnitude representation directly and obtained shorter lines for tie-compared to non-tie problems. These observations suggest that the processing benefit of tie problems comes at the cost of representational reduction of result meaning. This conclusion is discussed in the context of a recent model of arithmetic heuristics and biases. KW - AHAB KW - cognitive bias KW - mental arithmetic KW - numerical cognition KW - operational momentum KW - SNARC KW - tie problems Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02453 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 9 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Myachykov, Andriy A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - A hierarchical view of abstractness BT - Grounded, embodied, and situated aspect: Comment on "Words as social tools: Language, sociality and inner grounding in abstract concepts" by Anna M. Borghi et al. T2 - Physics of life reviews Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2019.04.005 SN - 1571-0645 SN - 1873-1457 VL - 29 SP - 161 EP - 163 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hartmann, Matthias A1 - Laubrock, Jochen A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - The visual number world BT - a dynamic approach to study the mathematical mind JF - The quarterly journal of experimental psychology N2 - In the domain of language research, the simultaneous presentation of a visual scene and its auditory description (i.e., the visual world paradigm) has been used to reveal the timing of mental mechanisms. Here we apply this rationale to the domain of numerical cognition in order to explore the differences between fast and slow arithmetic performance, and to further study the role of spatial-numerical associations during mental arithmetic. We presented 30 healthy adults simultaneously with visual displays containing four numbers and with auditory addition and subtraction problems. Analysis of eye movements revealed that participants look spontaneously at the numbers they currently process (operands, solution). Faster performance was characterized by shorter latencies prior to fixating the relevant numbers and fewer revisits to the first operand while computing the solution. These signatures of superior task performance were more pronounced for addition and visual numbers arranged in ascending order, and for subtraction and numbers arranged in descending order (compared to the opposite pairings). Our results show that the visual number world-paradigm provides on-line access to the mind during mental arithmetic, is able to capture variability in arithmetic performance, and is sensitive to visual layout manipulations that are otherwise not reflected in response time measurements. KW - Eye movements KW - Mental arithmetic KW - Mental number line KW - Visual world paradigm Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2016.1240812 SN - 1747-0218 SN - 1747-0226 VL - 71 IS - 1 SP - 28 EP - 36 PB - Sage Publ. CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Pinhas, Michal A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Heuristics and biases in mental arithmetic BT - revisiting and reversing operational momentum JF - Thinking & Reasoning N2 - 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. KW - Heuristics KW - mental arithmetic KW - mental number line KW - operational momentum KW - problem-solving Y1 - 2017 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/13546783.2017.1348987 SN - 1354-6783 SN - 1464-0708 VL - 24 IS - 2 SP - 138 EP - 156 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - GEN A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Commentary on: E. H. Toomarian ; E. M. Hubbard, On the genesis of spatial-numerical associations: Evolutionary and cultural factors co-construct the mental number line. - (Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews. - vol 95, 2018, pg 189 - 190) T2 - Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews : official journal of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.018 SN - 0149-7634 SN - 1873-7528 VL - 98 SP - 335 EP - 335 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Hartmann, Matthias A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Mast, Fred Walter T1 - Sharing a mental number line across individuals? The role of body position and empathy in joint numerical cognition JF - The quarterly journal of experimental psychology N2 - A growing body of research shows that the human brain acts differently when performing a task together with another person than when performing the same task alone. In this study, we investigated the influence of a co-actor on numerical cognition using a joint random number generation (RNG) task. We found that participants generated relatively smaller numbers when they were located to the left (vs. right) of a co-actor (Experiment 1), as if the two individuals shared a mental number line and predominantly selected numbers corresponding to their relative body position. Moreover, the mere presence of another person on the left or right side or the processing of numbers from loudspeaker on the left or right side had no influence on the magnitude of generated numbers (Experiment 2), suggesting that a bias in RNG only emerged during interpersonal interactions. Interestingly, the effect of relative body position on RNG was driven by participants with high trait empathic concern towards others, pointing towards a mediating role of feelings of sympathy for joint compatibility effects. Finally, the spatial bias emerged only after the co-actors swapped their spatial position, suggesting that joint spatial representations are constructed only after the spatial reference frame became salient. In contrast to previous studies, our findings cannot be explained by action co-representation because the consecutive production of numbers does not involve conflict at the motor response level. Our results therefore suggest that spatial reference coding, rather than motor mirroring, can determine joint compatibility effects. Our results demonstrate how physical properties of interpersonal situations, such as the relative body position, shape seemingly abstract cognition. KW - Mental number line KW - random number generation KW - joint action KW - joint Simon effect KW - empathy KW - Interpersonal Reactivity Index Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1177/1747021818809254 SN - 1747-0218 SN - 1747-0226 VL - 72 IS - 7 SP - 1732 EP - 1740 PB - Sage Publ. CY - London ER - TY - GEN A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Commentary on: Elizabeth H. Toomarian; Edward M. Hubbard: On the genesis of spatial-numerical associations : evolutionary and cultural factors co-construct the mental number line. - In: Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews. - 90 (2018), S. 184 - 199 T2 - Neuroscience & biobehavioral reviews : official journal of the International Behavioral Neuroscience Society Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.10.002 SN - 0149-7634 SN - 1873-7528 VL - 95 SP - 189 EP - 190 PB - Elsevier CY - Oxford ER - TY - GEN A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Shaki, Samuel T1 - How to make talks less boring T2 - Nature : the international weekly journal of science Y1 - 2019 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-00153-6 SN - 0028-0836 SN - 1476-4687 VL - 565 IS - 7739 SP - 294 EP - 294 PB - Nature Publ. Group CY - London ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Belli, Francesco A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - "BreaThink" BT - breathing affects production and perception of quantities JF - Experimental brain research N2 - Cognition is shaped by signals from outside and within the body. Following recent evidence of interoceptive signals modulating higher-level cognition, we examined whether breathing changes the production and perception of quantities. In Experiment 1, 22 adults verbally produced on average larger random numbers after inhaling than after exhaling. In Experiment 2, 24 further adults estimated the numerosity of dot patterns that were briefly shown after either inhaling or exhaling. Again, we obtained on average larger responses following inhalation than exhalation. These converging results extend models of situated cognition according to which higher-level cognition is sensitive to transient interoceptive states. KW - breathing KW - embodied cognition KW - interoception KW - numerical cognition KW - situated cognition Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-021-06147-z SN - 0014-4819 SN - 1432-1106 VL - 239 IS - 8 SP - 2489 EP - 2499 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - GEN A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Motor simulation in sentence-picture verification BT - Beyond Ostarek et al. (2019) T2 - Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science; Abstracts and authors of the 8th International Conference on Spatial Cognition: Cognition and Action in a Plurality of Spaces (ICSC 2021) TALKS: Submission 58 N2 - Background and Aims: Ostarek et al. (2019) claimed a conclusive demonstration that language comprehension relies profoundly on visual simulations. They presented participants with visual noise during sentence-picture verification (SPV) and measured lateralized button response speed. The authors selectively eliminated the classical congruency effect (faster yes decisions when pictures match the objects implied by the sentences) with ‘‘high level’’ noise made from images of other objects. However, that visual noise included tool pictures, known to activate lateralized motor affordances. Moreover, some of their sentences described motor actions. This raises the question whether motor simulation may have contaminated their results. Methods: Replicating Ostarek et al. (2019), 33 right-handed participants performed SPV but either without visual noise or while viewing (a) only left-handled or (b) only right-handled or (c) alternatingly left- and right-handled tools. Accuracy and reaction times of manual yes responses were analyzed. Additionally, hand-relatedness of sentences was rated. Results: Replicating Ostarek et al. (2019), the classical SPV congruency effect appeared without noise and vanished when alternatingly handled tools were presented. Crucially, it reappeared when noise objects were consistently either left- or righthandled. Higher hand-relatedness of sentence content reduced SPV performance and accuracy was lower with right-handled noise. Conclusion: First, we demonstrated an interaction between motor- related language, visual affordances and motor responses in SPV. This result supports the embodied view of language processing. Second, we identified a motor process not previously known in SPV. This extends our understanding of mental simulation and calls for methodological controls in future studies. Y1 - 2021 UR - https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s10339-021-01058-x.pdf U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-021-01058-x SN - 1612-4782 SN - 1612-4790 VL - 22 IS - Suppl. 1 SP - S32 EP - S33 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Sixtus, Elena A1 - Lindemann, Oliver A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Stimulating numbers BT - signatures of finger counting in numerosity processing JF - Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action N2 - Finger counting is one of the first steps in the development of mature number concepts. With a one-to-one correspondence of fingers to numbers in Western finger counting, fingers hold two numerical meanings: one is based on the number of fingers raised and the second is based on their ordinal position within the habitual finger counting sequence. This study investigated how these two numerical meanings of fingers are intertwined with numerical cognition in adults. Participants received tactile stimulation on their fingertips of one hand and named either the number of fingers stimulated (2, 3, or 4 fingers; Experiment 1) or the number of stimulations on one fingertip (2, 3, or 4 stimulations; Experiment 2). Responses were faster and more accurate when the set of stimulated fingers corresponded to finger counting habits (Experiment 1) and when the number of stimulations matched the ordinal position of the stimulated finger (Experiment 2). These results show that tactile numerosity perception is affected by individual finger counting habits and that those habits give numerical meaning to single fingers. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-0982-y SN - 0340-0727 SN - 1430-2772 VL - 84 IS - 1 SP - 152 EP - 167 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Bar, Hofit A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Algom, Daniel T1 - On the linear representation of numbers BT - Evidence from a new two-numbers-to-two positions task JF - Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action N2 - In the number-to-position methodology, a number is presented on each trial and the observer places it on a straight line in a position that corresponds to its felt subjective magnitude. In the novel modification introduced in this study, the two-numbers-to-two-positions method, a pair of numbers rather than a single number is presented on each trial and the observer places them in appropriate positions on the same line. Responses in this method indicate not only the subjective magnitude of each single number but, simultaneously, provide a direct estimation of their subjective numerical distance. The results of four experiments provide strong evidence for a linear representation of numbers and, commensurately, for the linear representation of numerical distances. We attribute earlier results that indicate a logarithmic representation to the ordered nature of numbers and to the task used and not to a truly non-linear underlying representation. Y1 - 2018 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-018-1063-y SN - 0340-0727 SN - 1430-2772 VL - 83 IS - 1 SP - 48 EP - 63 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Zhou, Yuefang A1 - Kornher, Tristan A1 - Mohnke, Janett A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Tactile interaction with a humanoid robot BT - effects on physiology and subjective impressions JF - International journal of social robotics N2 - This study investigated how touching and being touched by a humanoid robot affects human physiology, impressions of the interaction, and attitudes towards humanoid robots. 21 healthy adult participants completed a 3 (touch style: touching, being touched, pointing) x 2 (body part: hand vs buttock) within-subject design using a Pepper robot. Skin conductance response (SCR) was measured during each interaction. Perceived impressions of the interaction (i.e., friendliness, comfort, arousal) were measured per questionnaire after each interaction. Participants' demographics and their attitude towards robots were also considered. We found shorter SCR rise times in the being touched compared to the touching condition, possibly reflecting psychological alertness to the unpredictability of robot-initiated contacts. The hand condition had shorter rise times than the buttock condition. Most participants evaluated the hand condition as most friendly and comfortable and the robot-initiated interactions as most arousing. Interacting with Pepper improved attitudes towards robots. Our findings require future studies with larger samples and improved procedures. They have implications for robot design in all domains involving tactile interactions, such as caring and intimacy. KW - Human– robot tactile interaction KW - Skin conductance KW - Buttocks KW - Robot Pepper KW - Human– robot intimate relationships Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s12369-021-00749-x SN - 1875-4791 SN - 1875-4805 VL - 13 IS - 7 SP - 1657 EP - 1677 PB - Springer CY - Dordrecht ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A1 - Lindemann, Oliver A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - The force of numbers BT - Investigating manual signatures of embodied number processing JF - Frontiers in human neuroscience / Frontiers Research Foundation N2 - The study has two objectives: (1) to introduce grip force recording as a new technique for studying embodied numerical processing; and (2) to demonstrate how three competing accounts of numerical magnitude representation can be tested by using this new technique: the Mental Number Line (MNL), A Theory of Magnitude (ATOM) and Embodied Cognition (finger counting-based) account. While 26 healthy adults processed visually presented single digits in a go/no-go n-back paradigm, their passive holding forces for two small sensors were recorded in both hands. Spontaneous and unconscious grip force changes related to number magnitude occurred in the left hand already 100-140 ms after stimulus presentation and continued systematically. Our results support a two-step model of number processing where an initial stage is related to the automatic activation of all stimulus properties whereas a later stage consists of deeper conscious processing of the stimulus. This interpretation generalizes previous work with linguistic stimuli and elaborates the timeline of embodied cognition. We hope that the use of grip force recording will advance the field of numerical cognition research. KW - ATOM KW - embodied cognition KW - finger counting KW - grip force KW - mental number KW - line KW - number processing KW - numerical cognition Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.590508 SN - 1662-5161 VL - 14 PB - Frontiers Media CY - Lausanne ER - TY - GEN A1 - Miklashevsky, Alex A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Lindemann, Oliver T1 - Spatial-numerical associations without a motor response? Grip force says ‘Yes’ T2 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe N2 - In numerical processing, the functional role of Spatial-Numerical Associations (SNAs, such as the association of smaller numbers with left space and larger numbers with right space, the Mental Number Line hypothesis) is debated. Most studies demonstrate SNAs with lateralized responses, and there is little evidence that SNAs appear when no response is required. We recorded passive holding grip forces in no-go trials during number processing. In Experiment 1, participants performed a surface numerical decision task (“Is it a number or a letter?”). In Experiment 2, we used a deeper semantic task (“Is this number larger or smaller than five?”). Despite instruction to keep their grip force constant, participants' spontaneous grip force changed in both experiments: Smaller numbers led to larger force increase in the left than in the right hand in the numerical decision task (500–700 ms after stimulus onset). In the semantic task, smaller numbers again led to larger force increase in the left hand, and larger numbers increased the right-hand holding force. This effect appeared earlier (180 ms) and lasted longer (until 580 ms after stimulus onset). This is the first demonstration of SNAs with passive holding force. Our result suggests that (1) explicit motor response is not a prerequisite for SNAs to appear, and (2) the timing and strength of SNAs are task-dependent. (216 words). T3 - Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe - 810 KW - SNARC KW - Mental number line KW - Number processing KW - Embodied cognition KW - Grip force KW - Motor system Y1 - 2023 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-578324 SN - 1866-8364 IS - 810 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 - JOUR A1 - D'Ascenzo, Stefania A1 - Lugli, Luisa A1 - Nicoletti, Roberto A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Assessing orienting of attention to understand the time course of mental calculation JF - Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science N2 - Number processing induces spatial attention shifts to the left or right side for small or large numbers, respectively. This spatial-numerical association (SNA) extends to mental calculation, such that subtractions and additions induce left or right biases, respectively. However, the time course of activating SNAs during mental calculation is unclear. Here, we addressed this issue by measuring visual position discrimination during auditory calculation. Thirty-four healthy adults listened in each trial to five successive elements of arithmetic facts (first operand, operator, second operand, equal and result) and verbally classified their correctness. After each element (except for the result), a fixation dot moved equally often to either the left or right side and participants pressed left or right buttons to discriminate its movement direction (four times per trial). First and second operand magnitude (small/large), operation (addition/subtraction), result correctness (right/wrong) and movement direction (left/right) were balanced across 128 trials. Manual reaction times of dot movement discriminations were considered in relation to previous arithmetic elements. We found no evidence of early attentional shifts after first operand and operator presentation. Discrimination performance was modulated consistent with SNAs after the second operand, suggesting that attentional shifts occur once there is access to all elements necessary to complete an arithmetic operation. Such late-occurring attention shifts may reflect a combination of multiple element-specific biases and confirm their functional role in mental calculation. KW - Attention KW - Mental arithmetic KW - Numerical cognition KW - Spatial-numerical KW - associations Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-020-00970-y SN - 1612-4782 SN - 1612-4790 VL - 21 IS - 4 SP - 493 EP - 500 PB - Springer CY - Heidelberg ; Berlin ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wood, Danielle A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Turn the beat around: Commentary on "Slow and fast beat sequences are represented differently through space" (De Tommaso & Prpic, 2020, in Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics) JF - Attention, perception, & psychophysics : AP&P ; a journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc. N2 - 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. KW - Distance effect KW - Music cognition KW - Pitch KW - magnitude association KW - Semantic KW - congruity effect KW - SMARC KW - Sound recognition KW - Spatial cognition Y1 - 2021 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-021-02247-8 SN - 1943-3921 SN - 1943-393X VL - 83 IS - 4 SP - 1518 EP - 1521 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Laubrock, Jochen A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - A biological foundation for spatial–numerical associations BT - the brain's asymmetric frequency tuning JF - Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences N2 - "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. KW - hemispheric asymmetry KW - numerical cognition KW - SNARC effect KW - spatial KW - frequency tuning KW - spatial-numerical associations KW - spatial vision Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14418 SN - 0077-8923 SN - 1749-6632 VL - 1477 IS - 1 SP - 44 EP - 53 PB - Wiley CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Felisatti, Arianna A1 - Aagten-Murphy, David A1 - Laubrock, Jochen A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - The brain’s asymmetric frequency tuning BT - asymmetric behavior originates from asymmetric perception JF - Symmetry / Molecular Diversity Preservation International (MDPI) N2 - 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. KW - asymmetry KW - global KW - local KW - spatial frequencies KW - temporal frequencies KW - embodied cognition Y1 - 2020 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3390/sym12122083 SN - 2073-8994 VL - 12 IS - 12 PB - MDPI CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Shaki, Samuel A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Your neighbors define your value a study of spatial bias in number comparison JF - Acta psychologica : international journal of psychonomics N2 - Several chronometric biases in numerical cognition have informed our understanding of a mental number line (MNL). Complementing this approach, we investigated spatial performance in a magnitude comparison task. Participants located the larger or smaller number of a pair on a horizontal line representing the interval from 0 to 10. Experiments 1 and 2 used only number pairs one unit apart and found that digits were localized farther to the right with "select larger" instructions than with "select smaller" instructions. However, when numerical distance was varied (Experiment 3), digits were localized away from numerically near neighbors. This repulsion effect reveals context-specific distortions in number representation not previously noticed with chronometric measures. KW - Magnitude comparison KW - Mental number line KW - Numerical cognition KW - Spatial bias Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actpsy.2013.01.004 SN - 0001-6918 VL - 142 IS - 3 SP - 308 EP - 313 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - INPR A1 - Murray, Wayne S. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Tatler, Benjamin W. T1 - Serial and parallel processes in eye movement control - current controversies and future directions T2 - The quarterly journal of experimental psychology N2 - In this editorial for the Special Issue on Serial and Parallel Processing in Reading we explore the background to the current debate concerning whether the word recognition processes in reading are strictly serialsequential or take place in an overlapping parallel fashion. We consider the history of the controversy and some of the underlying assumptions, together with an analysis of the types of evidence and arguments that have been adduced to both sides of the debate, concluding that both accounts necessarily presuppose some weakening of, or elasticity in, the eyemind assumption. We then consider future directions, both for reading research and for scene viewing, and wrap up the editorial with a brief overview of the following articles and their conclusions. KW - Serial and parallel KW - Eye movements KW - Reading KW - Scene perception KW - Modality KW - Modelling KW - Eyemind assumption KW - Decoupling KW - Alan Kennedy Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2012.759979 SN - 1747-0218 VL - 66 IS - 3 SP - 417 EP - 428 PB - Wiley CY - Hove ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Ghahghaei, Saeideh A1 - Linnell, Karina J. A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Dubey, Amit A1 - Davis, Robert T1 - Effects of load on the time course of attentional engagement, disengagement, and orienting in reading JF - The quarterly journal of experimental psychology N2 - We examined how the frequency of the fixated word influences the spatiotemporal distribution of covert attention during reading. Participants discriminated gaze-contingent probes that occurred with different spatial and temporal offsets from randomly chosen fixation points during reading. We found that attention was initially focused at fixation and that subsequent defocusing was slower when the fixated word was lower in frequency. Later in a fixation, attention oriented more towards the next saccadic target for high- than for low-frequency words. These results constitute the first report of the time course of the effect of load on attentional engagement and orienting in reading. They are discussed in the context of serial and parallel models of reading. KW - Attention KW - Load KW - Reading KW - Time course KW - Word frequency KW - Engagement KW - Disengagement KW - Orienting Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2011.635795 SN - 1747-0218 VL - 66 IS - 3 SP - 453 EP - 470 PB - Wiley CY - Hove ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Riello, Marianna A1 - Giordano, Bruno L. A1 - Rusconi, Elena T1 - Singing numbers ... in cognitive space - a dual-task study of the link between pitch, space, and numbers JF - Topics in cognitive science N2 - We assessed the automaticity of spatial-numerical and spatial-musical associations by testing their intentionality and load sensitivity in a dual-task paradigm. In separate sessions, 16 healthy adults performed magnitude and pitch comparisons on sung numbers with variable pitch. Stimuli and response alternatives were identical, but the relevant stimulus attribute (pitch or number) differed between tasks. Concomitant tasks required retention of either color or location information. Results show that spatial associations of both magnitude and pitch are load sensitive and that the spatial association for pitch is more powerful than that for magnitude. These findings argue against the automaticity of spatial mappings in either stimulus dimension. KW - Auditory pitch KW - Dual task KW - Mental number line KW - SMARC KW - SNARC KW - Spatial coding Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/tops.12017 SN - 1756-8757 VL - 5 IS - 2 SP - 354 EP - 366 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Roberts, Andrew Michael A1 - Stabler, Jane A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Otty, Lisa T1 - Space and pattern in linear and postlinear poetry empirical and theoretical approaches JF - European journal of English studies : official journal of the European Society for the Study of English (ESSE) N2 - This article derives from two interdisciplinary research projects funded by the UK Arts and Humanities Research Council, involving the application of psychological experimental techniques to the study of poetic form and reader response. It discusses the semantic and expressive effects of space and pattern in innovative forms of contemporary British and American poetry. After referring to some historical and theoretical contexts for these issues, the article analyses the results of experiments using eye-tracking, manipulations of text, memory tests and readers' recorded responses and interpretations. The first group of poems studied were lineated, with extended spaces within lines and displacement of lines from the left margin. Referring to a poem from Geoffrey Hill'sCanaan(1996), the authors show that such use of space may serve to articulate syntactical structures, but may also promote richer interpretation by encouraging cross-linear semantic connections. The second technique studied was the break from linear into postlinear poetry, as an initially lineated sequence shifts to pages of dispersed text. In readings of Susan Howe'sPythagorean Silence(fromThe Europe of Trusts, 1990), the authors detected more radical effects of space, shape and pattern, with associated consequences for interpretative strategies and aesthetic responses. Finally, the article discusses the potential for both mutual support and heuristic challenge between an empirical study of reader response, and a historical-theoretical approach as exemplified by Jerome McGann's interpretation ofPythagorean Silence. KW - psycholinguistics KW - postlinear poetry KW - space in poetry KW - visual form KW - eye-tracking KW - empirical aesthetics KW - reader response KW - Susan Howe KW - Geoffrey Hill Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1080/13825577.2012.754967 SN - 1382-5577 SN - 1744-4233 VL - 17 IS - 1 SP - 23 EP - 40 PB - Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group CY - Abingdon ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Scheepers, Christoph A1 - Mohr, Sibylle A1 - Fischer, Martin H. A1 - Roberts, Andrew M. T1 - Listening to Limericks - A Pupillometry Investigation of Perceivers' Expectancy JF - PLoS one N2 - What features of a poem make it captivating, and which cognitive mechanisms are sensitive to these features? We addressed these questions experimentally by measuring pupillary responses of 40 participants who listened to a series of Limericks. The Limericks ended with either a semantic, syntactic, rhyme or metric violation. Compared to a control condition without violations, only the rhyme violation condition induced a reliable pupillary response. An anomaly-rating study on the same stimuli showed that all violations were reliably detectable relative to the control condition, but the anomaly induced by rhyme violations was perceived as most severe. Together, our data suggest that rhyme violations in Limericks may induce an emotional response beyond mere anomaly detection. Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0074986 SN - 1932-6203 VL - 8 IS - 9 PB - PLoS CY - San Fransisco ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Myachykov, Andriy A1 - Ellis, Rob A1 - Cangelosi, Angelo A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Visual and linguistic cues to graspable objects JF - Experimental brain research N2 - Two experiments investigated (1) how activation of manual affordances is triggered by visual and linguistic cues to manipulable objects and (2) whether graspable object parts play a special role in this process. Participants pressed a key to categorize manipulable target objects copresented with manipulable distractor objects on a computer screen. Three factors were varied in Experiment 1: (1) the target's and (2) the distractor's handles' orientation congruency with the lateral manual response and (3) the Visual Focus on one of the objects. In Experiment 2, a linguistic cue factor was added to these three factors-participants heard the name of one of the two objects prior to the target display onset. Analysis of participants' motor and oculomotor behaviour confirmed that perceptual and linguistic cues potentiated activation of grasp affordances. Both target- and distractor-related affordance effects were modulated by the presence of visual and linguistic cues. However, a differential visual attention mechanism subserved activation of compatibility effects associated with target and distractor objects. We also registered an independent implicit attention attraction effect from objects' handles, suggesting that graspable parts automatically attract attention during object viewing. This effect was further amplified by visual but not linguistic cues, thus providing initial evidence for a recent hypothesis about differential roles of visual and linguistic information in potentiating stable and variable affordances (Borghi in Language and action in cognitive neuroscience. Psychology Press, London, 2012). KW - Grasp affordances KW - Naming KW - Visual attention KW - Object categorization Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-013-3616-z SN - 0014-4819 VL - 229 IS - 4 SP - 545 EP - 559 PB - Springer CY - New York ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Festman, Yariv A1 - Adam, Jos J. A1 - Pratt, Jay A1 - Fischer, Martin H. T1 - Both hand position and movement direction modulate visual attention JF - Frontiers in psychology N2 - The current study explored effects of continuous hand motion on the allocation of visual attention. A concurrent paradigm was used to combine visually concealed continuous hand movements with an attentionally demanding letter discrimination task. The letter probe appeared contingent upon the moving right hand passing through one of six positions. Discrimination responses were then collected via a keyboard press with the static left hand. Both the right hand's position and its movement direction systematically contributed to participants' visual sensitivity. Discrimination performance increased substantially when the right hand was distant from, but moving toward the visual probe location (replicating the far-hand effect, Festrnan et al., 2013). However, this effect disappeared when the probe appeared close to the static left hand, supporting the view that static and dynamic features of both hands combine in modulating pragmatic maps of attention. KW - embodied cognition KW - covert attention KW - hand dynamics KW - near-hand effect KW - perception Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00657 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 4 IS - 4 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER -