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Connectedness effects in enumeration of small numbers
Wei Liu1, Xiaoke Zhao2, Yating Li1
1School of Education, Yunnan Minzu University, Kunming, China.
Attention, Perception & Psychophysics
|August 5, 2025
Summary
The connectedness effect impacts number perception, causing underestimation in dual tasks but not single tasks. Subitizing small quantities remains accurate, while estimation is influenced by connectivity under attentional load.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Visual Perception
- Numerical Cognition
Background:
- The connectedness effect describes perceiving connected items as fewer units.
- This effect is linked to the approximate number system (ANS) and intermediate numerosity perception.
- Subitizing accurately enumerates small quantities (<5) via a distinct mechanism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the influence of the connectedness effect on the enumeration of small numerosities.
- To determine if subitizing is affected by item connectivity.
- To compare the impact of connectivity in single versus dual enumeration tasks and sequential versus simultaneous comparisons.
Main Methods:
- Participants enumerated dots in single and dual tasks, with varying connectivity.
- Tasks included single enumeration, dual enumeration, sequential comparison, and simultaneous comparison.
- Weber fractions were analyzed to assess performance across different tasks and numerosities.
Main Results:
- Connectivity did not cause underestimation in the single enumeration task, suggesting subitizing is unaffected.
- Significant underestimation occurred in the dual enumeration task due to connectivity.
- The connectedness effect was more pronounced in simultaneous compared to sequential tasks.
- Weber fractions correlated between small and intermediate numerosities in simultaneous tasks, but not sequential ones.
Conclusions:
- Subitizing (single/sequential tasks) is robust against the connectedness effect.
- Estimation (dual/simultaneous tasks) is influenced by connectivity, leading to underestimation, especially under attentional load.
- Approximate estimation relies on segmented objects, even for small quantities, and is susceptible to the connectedness effect.
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