Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 9, 2026
10:14
Tactile Conditioning And Movement Analysis Of Antennal Sampling Strategies In Honey Bees Apis mellifera L.
Published on: December 12, 2012
11.1K
The effects of training on tactile enumeration
Zahira Z Cohen1, Daniela Aisenberg2,3, Avishai Henik2,3
1Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel. zahiraci@gmail.com.
Psychological Research
|December 28, 2016
Summary
Tactile enumeration training improved accuracy and speed for small quantity recognition, demonstrating long-term benefits. This suggests finger counting patterns are embodied, supporting accelerated counting and subitizing in tactile tasks.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Perception
Background:
- Subitizing enables rapid, accurate enumeration of small quantities.
- The existence of tactile subitizing remains debated.
- Previous research indicated a specific reaction time (RT) pattern for one-hand tactile enumeration, but with high error rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term effects of training on tactile enumeration accuracy and speed.
- To determine if training enhances the ability to subitize or accelerates counting in the tactile modality.
- To explore the role of embodied finger counting patterns in tactile enumeration.
Main Methods:
- A 6-day training program for a one-hand tactile enumeration task was administered to a training group (6DT).
- Performance was compared between the 6DT group and a non-trained control group (C) on trained and untrained tasks.
- Assessments were conducted at three time points: 1 week, 1 month, and 6 months post-training.
Main Results:
- Both groups showed increased accuracy, but only the 6DT group exhibited decreased reaction times (RT) for the trained task, an effect lasting up to 6 months.
- The characteristic RT slope (moderately increasing up to four stimuli, decreasing for five) remained unchanged post-training.
- Training demonstrated a long-term impact on tactile enumeration performance.
Conclusions:
- Training enhances tactile enumeration speed and accuracy, with lasting effects.
- The findings support the embodiment of finger counting patterns in tactile enumeration.
- Both accelerated counting and subitizing, reliant on spatial cues and familiar patterns, are plausible enumeration mechanisms in this modality.
