Mental number space in three dimensions. (October 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Winter, Bodo; Matlock, Teenie; Shaki, Samuel; Fischer, Martin H.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews. Volume 57(2015:Oct.)
• Page Start: 209
• Page End: 219
• Publication Date: 2015-10
• Subjects: Embodiment -- Intra-parietal sulcus -- Mental number line -- Metaphor -- Neglect -- Spatial cognition -- SNARC; Psychophysiology -- Periodicals; Human behavior -- Periodicals; Animal behavior -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Behavior -- Periodicals; Ethology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Psychophysiologie -- Périodiques; Comportement humain -- Périodiques; Animaux -- Mœurs et comportement -- Périodiques; Neurologie -- Périodiques; Animal behavior; Human behavior; Neurology; Psychophysiology; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 573.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.09.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-7634

Abstract

Highlights: Mental associations between numbers and space can be found along three spatial axes. Previous claims to the dominance of horizontal representations need to be qualified. Behavioral differences between axes are task-dependent and situated in nature. The three axes show how brain functioning reflects cultural biases. Abstract: A large number of experimental findings from neuroscience and experimental psychology demonstrated interactions between spatial cognition and numerical cognition. In particular, many researchers posited a horizontal mental number line, where small numbers are thought of as being to the left of larger numbers. This review synthesizes work on the mental association between space and number, indicating the existence of multiple spatial mappings: recent research has found associations between number and vertical space, as well as associations between number and near/far space. We discuss number space in three dimensions with an eye on potential origins of the different number mappings, and how these number mappings fit in with our current knowledge of brain organization and brain-culture interactions. We derive novel predictions and show how this research fits into a general view of cognition as embodied, grounded and situated.