Do Students Respond Faster to Inequalities with a Greater than Sign or to Inequalities with a Less than Sign: Spatial-Numerical Association in Inequalities

ABSTRACT

Previous studies have suggested that there is a left-to-right mental number line, which is based on individuals responding faster when a smaller magnitude is presented on the left visual field and a larger magnitude is presented on the right visual field. This study examined whether the Spatial-Numerical Associations could influence individuals’ responses in an inequality judgment task. Specifically, this study tested the differences in reaction time between judging inequalities with a greater than sign and inequalities with a less than sign and investigated individuals’ subjective liking and perceived fluency in judging these inequalities. Three types of stimuli were used in this study: Arabic number inequalities (numerical and symbolic magnitudes), dot array inequalities (numerical and non-symbolic magnitudes), and square inequalities (non-numerical magnitudes). Results showed that participants reacted quicker to inequalities with a greater than sign than a less than sign when responding to true inequalities in all of the three tasks and reported more subjective liking and perceived fluency in judging inequalities with a greater than sign in symbolic task. This study has implications for studies that are interested in Spatial-Numerical Associations and mathematical education.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ In this study, magnitude comparison as expressed in inequality symbols, such as 8 > 5, is referred to as an inequality.