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Orienting numbers in mental space: horizontal organization trumps vertical
Kevin J Holmes1, Stella F Lourenco
1Department of Psychology , Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA. kevin.holmes@emory.edu
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)
|May 29, 2012
Summary
Horizontal number line representations are dominant. Vertical number line organization emerges only when numbers are treated as magnitudes, showing an upward preference, but this representation is less flexible.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Spatial Cognition
Background:
- Extensive research supports a horizontal mental number line for spatial number representation.
- Emerging evidence suggests potential vertical organization of numbers, prompting further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To directly compare the relative strengths of horizontal versus vertical spatial number representations.
- To investigate conditions under which vertical number line organization emerges.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Directly pitted horizontal and vertical orientations against each other in number representation tasks.
- Experiment 2: Examined number representation when numbers were conceptualized as magnitudes versus non-magnitude ordinal sequences.
Main Results:
- No spontaneous vertical orientation (upward or downward) was observed.
- Horizontal number line representations were found to be stronger than vertical ones.
- Reliable vertical organization, with a preference for upward orientation, emerged only when numbers were treated as magnitudes.
Conclusions:
- Horizontal spatial representations of numbers are predominant.
- Vertical number line representations are less flexible and emerge under specific conceptual conditions (i.e., magnitude processing).
- Findings have implications for understanding spatial cognition beyond numerical representation and its developmental origins.
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