title: Perceiving numbers causes spatial shifts of attention.
abstract: Number symbols are part of our everyday visual world. Here we show that merely looking at numbers causes a shift in covert attention to the left or right side, depending upon the number's magnitude. This observation implies obligatory activation of number meaning and signals a tight coupling of internal and external representations of space.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN Scotland. m.h.fischer@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.forename: Alan D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Castel
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pratt
mesh_terms: D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003463:Cues; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005403:Fixation, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013561:Symbolism; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology