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Number without a language model
Elizabet Spaepen1, Marie Coppola, Elizabeth S Spelke
1Department of Psychology, University of Chicago, IL 60637, USA. liesje@uchicago.edu
Summary
Individuals without conventional language, even in a numerate society, do not spontaneously develop exact large number representations. Homesigners can communicate about numbers but struggle with quantities greater than three.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Science
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Conventional number language is thought to be crucial for developing large exact number representations.
- Previous studies are confounded by cultural differences between language users and non-users.
- Deaf individuals without access to conventional language provide a unique opportunity to study number development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the numerical abilities of deaf individuals lacking conventional language but living in a numerate culture.
- To determine if homesigners spontaneously develop representations of large exact numerosities.
- To isolate the effect of language on number representation development.
Main Methods:
- Studied deaf individuals in Nicaragua who developed homesigns without conventional language input.
- Assessed their ability to communicate number using gestures.
- Examined their performance in tasks involving finger extension and set matching for quantities up to and beyond three.
Main Results:
- Homesigners use gestures to communicate numerical information.
- They do not consistently use the correct number of fingers for quantities greater than three.
- Accurate matching of set numerosities greater than three was not consistently observed.
Conclusions:
- Lack of conventional language input prevents the spontaneous development of large exact number representations, even within a numerate society.
- Homesigners' numerical abilities are limited, suggesting language is essential for abstract numerical concepts.
- This study highlights the critical role of linguistic input in cognitive development of number.
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