title: Eye-movement patterns during nonsymbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude comparison and their relation to math calculation skills.
abstract: A growing body of research suggests that the processing of nonsymbolic (e.g. sets of dots) and symbolic (e.g. Arabic digits) numerical magnitudes serves as a foundation for the development of math competence. Performance on magnitude comparison tasks is thought to reflect the precision of a shared cognitive representation, as evidence by the presence of a numerical ratio effect for both formats. However, little is known regarding how visuo-perceptual processes are related to the numerical ratio effect, whether they are shared across numerical formats, and whether they relate to math competence independently of performance outcomes. The present study investigates these questions in a sample of typically developing adults. Our results reveal a pattern of associations between eye-movement measures, but not their ratio effects, across formats. This suggests that ratio-specific visuo-perceptual processing during magnitude processing is different across nonsymbolic and symbolic formats. Furthermore, eye movements are related to math performance only during symbolic comparison, supporting a growing body of literature suggesting symbolic number processing is more strongly related to math outcomes than nonsymbolic magnitude processing. Finally, eye-movement patterns, specifically fixation dwell time, continue to be negatively related to math performance after controlling for task performance (i.e. error rate and reaction time) and domain general cognitive abilities (IQ), suggesting that fluent visual processing of Arabic digits plays a unique and important role in linking symbolic number processing to formal math abilities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203, United States. Electronic address: gavin.price@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Gavin R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Price
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203, United States.
authors.forename: Eric D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Wilkey
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology & Human Development, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University, 230 Appleton Place, Nashville, TN 37203, United States; Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 14 Nanyang Avenue, 637332, Singapore.
authors.forename: Darren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yeo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D011930:Reaction Time; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult