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Numerical abstractness and elementary arithmetic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 August 2009

Jamie I. D. Campbell
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5, Canada. [email protected]@usask.cahttp://artsandscience.usask.ca/psychology/people/detail.php?bioid=212
Arron W. S. Metcalfe
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5A5, Canada. [email protected]@usask.cahttp://artsandscience.usask.ca/psychology/people/detail.php?bioid=212

Abstract

Like number representation, basic arithmetic seems to be a natural candidate for abstract instantiation in the brain. To investigate this, researchers have examined effects of numeral format on elementary arithmetic (e.g., 4+5 vs. four+five). Different numeral formats often recruit distinct processes for arithmetic, reinforcing the conclusion that number processing is not necessarily abstracted away from numeral format.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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