Testing a direct mapping versus competition account of response dynamics in number comparison^†

† All raw data and analysis code are available at https://git.io/vznQw

ABSTRACT

Tracking hand movements during number tasks has become a powerful method for disentangling competing models of numerical representation. In two experiments, participants used a computer mouse to choose whether presented numbers were greater than or less than 5. In Experiment 1, trajectories became more curved towards the incorrect response as targets approached the standard 5, indicating increasing response competition. However, trajectories showed a rightward bias modulated by numerical distance and target size, indicating a direct mapping between hand movement and an ordered, spatial number representation. In Experiment 2, I changed the direction of mouse movements bottom-to-top orientation to left-to-right. Trajectories again became more curved towards the incorrect response as targets approached 5, but this time, there was no modulation of trajectory bias by target size or distance. The results call into question a direct mapping account and instead lend support to a competition model of response dynamics in number comparison.

KEYWORDS:

• Numerical comparison
• response competition
• computer mouse tracking

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank Jon Freeman and Marilee Martens for their helpful comments during the preparation of this manuscript. In addition, many thanks to Jonathan Herring, Heather Hill, and Kate Shaw for their assistance with data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID details

Thomas J. Faulkenberry http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8997-3794

Notes

† All raw data and analysis code are available at https://git.io/vznQw

1 Thanks to an anonymous reviewer for pointing this out.