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The Reverse Distance Effect in Ordinal Processing of Repeated Item Sequences.
Zhengping Huang1, Rui Fu1,2, Hua He1
1Department of Psychology, School of Education, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China.
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 4, 2026
Summary
The Reverse Distance Effect (RDE), crucial for numerical cognition, was explored in sequences with repeated items. Findings show RDE is affected by item repetition, impacting ordinal judgments.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Numerical Cognition
Background:
- Ordinal processing is fundamental to numerical cognition, with the Reverse Distance Effect (RDE) as its key behavioral marker.
- Existing research on RDE primarily uses non-repeating sequences, leaving the impact of repeated items on ordinal judgments unexplored.
- Sequence composition influences RDE, prompting investigation into whether sequence types, specifically those with repeated items, also affect this effect.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of repeated item sequences on the Reverse Distance Effect (RDE).
- To determine if the RDE is present in non-numerical sequences with repeated items.
- To understand how item repetition within sequences affects ordinal representation and judgment.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Assessed RDE using numerical sequences with varying positions of repeated items (e.g., 1-2-2-3).
- Experiment 2: Assessed RDE using letter sequences with repeated items to examine non-numerical material processing.
- Statistical analysis was employed to determine the significance of RDE across different repetition conditions and sequence types.
Main Results:
- Experiment 1 revealed a significant RDE in the first and last repetition conditions, but a null effect in the middle repetition condition.
- The middle repeated item appeared to interfere differentially with ordinal representation in numerical sequences.
- Experiment 2 demonstrated a significant RDE in letter sequences irrespective of repetition position, indicating the effect extends to non-numerical materials.
Conclusions:
- The Reverse Distance Effect (RDE) is observable in sequences containing repeated items, particularly when interference between distance conditions is comparable.
- Repeated items play a significant role in order judgment, influencing ordinal processing.
- This research expands the understanding of ordinal processing by demonstrating the RDE's applicability to repeated item sequences and non-numerical stimuli.
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