Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement
Humans represent symbolic numbers as oriented from left to right: the mental number line (MNL). Up to now, scientific studies have mainly investigated the MNL by means of response times. However, the existing knowledge on the MNL can be advantaged by studies on motor patterns while responding to a n...
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doaj-5653048aecae46b7b7c9dc009c0d821a2020-11-24T20:59:58ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782018-05-01910.3389/fpsyg.2018.00637340707Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger MovementRosa Rugani0Sonia Betti1Luisa Sartori2Luisa Sartori3Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyDepartment of General Psychology, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyPadova Neuroscience Center, University of Padua, Padua, ItalyHumans represent symbolic numbers as oriented from left to right: the mental number line (MNL). Up to now, scientific studies have mainly investigated the MNL by means of response times. However, the existing knowledge on the MNL can be advantaged by studies on motor patterns while responding to a number. Cognitive representations, in fact, cannot be fully understood without considering their impact on actions. Here we investigated whether a motor response can be influenced by number processing. Participants seated in front of a little soccer goal. On each trial they were visually presented with a numerical (2, 5, 8) or a non-numerical ($) stimulus. They were instructed to kick a small ball with their right index toward a frontal soccer goal as soon as a stimulus appeared on a screen. However, they had to refrain from kicking when number five was presented (no-go signal). Our main finding is that performing a kicking action after observation of the larger digit proved to be more efficient: the trajectory path was shorter and lower on the surface, velocity peak was anticipated. The smaller number, instead, specifically altered the temporal and spatial aspects of trajectories, leading to more prolonged left deviations. This is the first experimental demonstration that the reaching component of a movement is influenced by number magnitude. Since this paradigm does not require any verbal skill and non-symbolic stimuli (array of dots) can be used, it could be fruitfully adopted to evaluate number abilities in children and even preschoolers. Notably, this is a self-motivating and engaging task, which might help children to get involved and to reduce potential arousal connected to institutional paper-and-pencil examinations.http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00637/fullmental number linespatial-numerical associationkinematicsreachingaction executionfinger movement |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Rosa Rugani Sonia Betti Luisa Sartori Luisa Sartori |
spellingShingle |
Rosa Rugani Sonia Betti Luisa Sartori Luisa Sartori Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement Frontiers in Psychology mental number line spatial-numerical association kinematics reaching action execution finger movement |
author_facet |
Rosa Rugani Sonia Betti Luisa Sartori Luisa Sartori |
author_sort |
Rosa Rugani |
title |
Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement |
title_short |
Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement |
title_full |
Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement |
title_fullStr |
Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement |
title_full_unstemmed |
Numerical Affordance Influences Action Execution: A Kinematic Study of Finger Movement |
title_sort |
numerical affordance influences action execution: a kinematic study of finger movement |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Psychology |
issn |
1664-1078 |
publishDate |
2018-05-01 |
description |
Humans represent symbolic numbers as oriented from left to right: the mental number line (MNL). Up to now, scientific studies have mainly investigated the MNL by means of response times. However, the existing knowledge on the MNL can be advantaged by studies on motor patterns while responding to a number. Cognitive representations, in fact, cannot be fully understood without considering their impact on actions. Here we investigated whether a motor response can be influenced by number processing. Participants seated in front of a little soccer goal. On each trial they were visually presented with a numerical (2, 5, 8) or a non-numerical ($) stimulus. They were instructed to kick a small ball with their right index toward a frontal soccer goal as soon as a stimulus appeared on a screen. However, they had to refrain from kicking when number five was presented (no-go signal). Our main finding is that performing a kicking action after observation of the larger digit proved to be more efficient: the trajectory path was shorter and lower on the surface, velocity peak was anticipated. The smaller number, instead, specifically altered the temporal and spatial aspects of trajectories, leading to more prolonged left deviations. This is the first experimental demonstration that the reaching component of a movement is influenced by number magnitude. Since this paradigm does not require any verbal skill and non-symbolic stimuli (array of dots) can be used, it could be fruitfully adopted to evaluate number abilities in children and even preschoolers. Notably, this is a self-motivating and engaging task, which might help children to get involved and to reduce potential arousal connected to institutional paper-and-pencil examinations. |
topic |
mental number line spatial-numerical association kinematics reaching action execution finger movement |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00637/full |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT rosarugani numericalaffordanceinfluencesactionexecutionakinematicstudyoffingermovement AT soniabetti numericalaffordanceinfluencesactionexecutionakinematicstudyoffingermovement AT luisasartori numericalaffordanceinfluencesactionexecutionakinematicstudyoffingermovement AT luisasartori numericalaffordanceinfluencesactionexecutionakinematicstudyoffingermovement |
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