Numerosity adaptation along the Y-Axis affects numerosity perception along the X-Axis: does numerosity adaptation...

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Visual Perception

Background:

• Numerosity adaptation is a visual perception phenomenon.
• Understanding its spatial selectivity is crucial for cognitive models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatial selectivity of numerosity adaptation.
• To determine how adaptation along one orientation affects perception along another.

Main Methods:

• Participants adapted to vertically or horizontally arranged dot arrays of varying numerosity.
• Perceived numerosity was assessed using a comparison task in different visual field locations.

Main Results:

• Vertical adaptors induced significant changes in horizontal numerosity perception, with a top-to-right and bottom-to-left association.
• Horizontal adaptors did not significantly affect vertical numerosity perception.
• Results suggest spatial-numerical-associated codes rather than retinotopic mapping.

Conclusions:

• Numerosity adaptation exhibits orientation-specific spatial selectivity.
• Vertical adaptation influences horizontal perception, possibly via interacting Mental Number Lines (MNLs).
• Horizontal adaptation may require higher thresholds to affect vertical perception.