Abstract
Solving arithmetic problems has been shown to induce shifts of spatial attention in simple probe-detection tasks, subtractions orienting attention to the left side and additions to the right side of space. Whether these attentional shifts constitute epiphenomena or are critically linked to the calculation process is still unknown. In the present study, we investigate participants’ performance on addition and subtraction solving while they have to detect central or lateralized targets. The results show that lateralized distractors presented in the hemifield congruent to the operation to be solved interfere with arithmetical solving: participants are slower to solve subtractions or additions when distractors are located on the left or on the right, respectively. These results converge with previous data to show that attentional shifts underlie not only number processing but also mental arithmetic. They extend them as they reveal the reverse effect of the one previously reported by showing that inducing attention shifts interferes with the solving of arithmetic problems. They also demonstrate that spatial attentional shifts are part of the calculation procedure of solving mentally arithmetic problems. Their functional role is to access, from the first operand, the representation of the result in a direction congruent to the operation.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Anelli, F., Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Borghi, A. M., & Nicoletti, R. (2014). Walking boosts your performance in making additions and subtractions. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, e1459. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01459.
Ashcraft, M. H. (1992). Cognitive arithmetic: a review of data and theory. Cognition, 44, 75–106.
Campbell, J. I. D. (2005). Handbook of Mathematical Cognition. New York: Psychology Press.
Cappelletti, M., Freeman, E. D., & Cipolotti, L. (2007). The middle house or the middle floor: bisecting horizontal and vertical mental number lines in neglect. Neuropsychologia, 45(13), 2989–3000.
Charras, P., Brod, G., & Lupiáñez, J. (2012). Is 26+ 26 smaller than 24+ 28? Estimating the approximate magnitude of repeated versus different numbers. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 74(1), 163–173.
Charras, P., Molina, E., & Lupiáñez, J. (2014). Additions are biased by operands: evidence from repeated versus different operands. Psychological Research, 78(2), 248–265.
Chen, Q., & Verguts, T. (2012). Spatial intuition in elementary arithmetic: a neurocomputational account. PLoS One, 7(2), e31180. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0031180.
Dehaene, S. (1992). Varieties of numerical abilities. Cognition, 4, 1–42.
Dormal, V., Schuller, A. M., Nihoul, J., Pesenti, M., & Andres, M. (2014). Causal role of spatial attention in arithmetic problem solving: evidence from left unilateral neglect. Neuropsychologia, 60, 1–9.
Fischer, M. H., Castel, A. D., Dodd, M. D., & Pratt, J. (2003). Perceiving numbers causes shifts of spatial attention. Nature Neuroscience, 6(6), 555–556.
Fischer, M. H., & Shaki, S. (2014). Spatial associations in numerical cognition. From single digits to arithmetic. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1461–1483.
Fischer, M. H., Warlop, N., Hill, R. L., & Fias, W. (2004). Oculomotor bias induced by number perception. Experimental Psychology, 51(2), 91–97.
Hartmann, M., Mast, F. W., & Fischer, M. H. (2015). Spatial biases during mental arithmetic: evidence from eye movements on blank screen. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 12. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00012.
Hoeckner, S. H., Moeller, K., Zauner, H., Wood, G., Haider, C., Gabner, A., & Nuerk, H. C. (2008). Impairments of the mental line for two-digits numbers in neglect. Cortex, 44(4), 429–438.
Klein, E., Huber, S., Nuerk, H.-C., & Moeller, K. (2014). Operational momentum affects eye fixation behavior. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1614–1625.
Knops, A., Dehaene, S., Berteletti, I., & Zorzi, M. (2014). Can approximate mental calculation account for operational momentum in addition and subtraction? Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1541–1556.
Knops, A., Thirion, B., Hubbard, E. M., Michel, V., & Dehaene, S. (2009a). Recruitment of an area involved in eye movements during mental arithmetic. Science, 324, 1583–1585.
Knops, A., Viarouge, A., & Dehaene, S. (2009b). Dynamic representations underlying symbolic and nonsymbolic calculation: evidence from the operational momentum effect. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 71(4), 803–821.
Knops, A., Zitzmann, S., & McCrink, K. (2013). Examining the presence and determinants of operational momentum in childhood. Frontiers in Psychology, 4, 325. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00325.
Lindemann, O., & Tira, M. (2011). Operational momentum in numerosity production judgments of mutli-digit number problems. Journal of Psychology, 219(1), 50–57.
Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Anelli, F., Borghi, A. M., & Nicoletti, R. (2013). Counting is easier while experiencing a congruent motion. PLoS One, 8(5), e64500.
Marghetis, T., Nunez, R., & Bergen, B. (2014). Hand movements during exact arithmetic reveal systematic, dynamic spatial processing. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1579–1596.
Masson, N., & Pesenti, M. (2014). Attentional bias induced by solving simple and complex addition and subtraction problems. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1514–1526.
Masson, N., Pesenti, M., & Dormal, V. (2013). Spatial bias in symbolic and non-symbolic numerical comparison in neglect. Neuropsychologia, 51, 1925–1932.
McCrink, K., Dehaene, S., & Dehaene-Lambertz, G. (2007). Moving along the number line: operational momentum in nonsymbolic arithmetic. Perception and Psychophysics, 69(8), 1324–1333.
McCrink, K., & Wynn, K. (2009). Operational momentum in large number addition and subtraction by 9-month-olds. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 103(4), 400–408.
Pinhas, M., & Fischer, M. H. (2008). Mental movements without magnitude? A study of spatial biases in symbolic arithmetic. Cognition, 109, 408–415.
Pinhas, M., Shaki, S., & Fischer, M. H. (2014). Heed the signs: operation signs have spatial associations. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1527–1540.
Pinhas, M., Shaki, S., & Fischer, M. H. (2015). Addition goes where the big numbers are: evidence for a reversed operational momentum effect. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review,. doi:10.3758/s13423-014-0786-z. (in press).
Priftis, K., Pitteri, M., Meneghello, F., Umiltà, C., & Zorzi, M. (2012). Optokinetic stimulation modulates neglect for the number space: evidence from mental number interval bisection. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 23. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00023.
Ranzini, M., Lisi, M., Blini, E., Pitteri, M., Treccani, B., Priftis, K., & Zorzi, M. (2015) Larger, smaller, odd or even? Task-specific effects of optokinetic stimulation on the mental number space. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 27(4), 459–470.
Rossetti, Y., Jacquin-Courtois, S., Rode, G., Ota, H., Michel, C., & Boisson, D. (2004). Does action make the link between number and space representation? Visual-manual adaptation improves number line bisection in unilateral neglect. Psychological Science, 15(6), 426–430.
Salillas, E., Granà, A., Juncadella, M., Rico, I., & Semenza, C. (2009). Leftward motion restores number space in neglect. Cortex, 45(6), 730–737.
Schneider, W., Eschman, A., & Zuccolotto, A. (2002). E-Prime user’s guide. Pittsburgh: Psychology Software Tools Inc.
Stoianov, I., Kramer, P., Umiltà, C., & Zorzi, M. (2008). Visuospatial priming of the mental number line. Cognition, 106, 770–779.
van Dijck, J.-P., Gevers, W., Lafosse, C., & Fias, W. (2012). The heterogeneous nature of number-space interactions. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 5, 182. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2011.00182.
Vuilleumier, P., Ortigue, S., & Brugger, P. (2004). The number space and neglect. Cortex, 40(2), 399–410.
Werner, K., & Raab, M. (2014). Moving your eyes to solution: effects of movement on the perception of problem-solving task. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1571–1578.
Wiemers, M., Bekkering, H., & Lindemann, O. (2014). Spatial interferences in mental arithmetic: evidence from the motion-arithmetic compatibility effect. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 67(8), 1557–1570.
Zorzi, M., Bonato, M., Treccani, B., Scalambrin, G., Marenzi, R., & Priftis, K. (2012). Neglect impairs explicit processing of the mental number line. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 125. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2012.00125.
Zorzi, M., Priftis, K., & Umiltà, C. (2002). Brain damage: neglect disrupts the mental number line. Nature, 417, 138–139.
Acknowledgments
This study was supported by Grant 1.A.057.12 from the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium). NM is a research fellow and MP a research associate at the National Fund for Scientific Research (Belgium). We thank Sarah Urbain for her help in data collection.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Appendix
Appendix
See Table 1.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Masson, N., Pesenti, M. Interference of lateralized distractors on arithmetic problem solving: a functional role for attention shifts in mental calculation. Psychological Research 80, 640–651 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-015-0668-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00426-015-0668-7