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Related Experiment Videos

The tie effect in simple arithmetic: an access-based account.

Jo-Anne LeFevre1, Tina Shanahan, Diana DeStefano

  • 1Department of Psychology, Carleton University, Ottowa, Ontario, Canada. jo-anne_lefevre@carleton.ca

Memory & Cognition
|January 28, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Simple arithmetic problems with repeated operands, called ties, are solved faster and more accurately than other problems. This tie advantage is linked to memory access rather than just how quickly problems are encoded.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Human Cognition

Background:

  • Simple arithmetic problems with repeated operands (ties) are solved faster and more accurately than problems with unique operands (nonties).
  • The "tie advantage" may stem from faster encoding due to repeated stimuli or differences in memory accessibility and solution processes.
  • Problem-size effects, where smaller operands are solved faster, are diminished for ties compared to nonties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the underlying mechanisms of the tie advantage in arithmetic problem-solving.
  • To differentiate between encoding-based and memory-based explanations for the tie advantage.
  • To examine how different presentation formats (pure vs. mixed) influence tie effects and problem-size interactions.

Main Methods:

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  • Adult participants solved addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems presented in pure (e.g., 4 + 4) and mixed (e.g., 4 + FOUR) formats.
  • Reaction times and accuracy were measured for tie and nontie problems across various problem sizes.
  • The study compared performance in pure formats versus mixed formats to assess the role of stimulus repetition.

Main Results:

  • A significant tie advantage was observed, with ties being solved more quickly and accurately than nonties.
  • The tie advantage was reduced in mixed formats compared to pure formats.
  • The interaction between tie problems and problem size persisted across both pure and mixed formats, though it was moderated by format.

Conclusions:

  • The findings strongly support the role of memory access in the tie advantage.
  • Encoding factors, such as stimulus repetition, appear to have a moderate influence on the tie advantage.
  • The results suggest that the ease of accessing information from memory is a primary driver of the tie effect in arithmetic.