Abstract
In Experiments 1 and 2, dots appeared less numerous when bunched together on a sheet than when spread out over a larger area, and apparent numerosity proved to be a power function, with exponents of 0.72 (Experiment 1) and 0.78 (Experiment 2), of objective numerosity. In Experiment 3, where Xs were shown instead of dots, the exponent was 0.77. In Experiment 4, where Ss made magnitude productions rather than magnitude estimations of the Xs, the exponent was 0.94. The overall results indicate an exponent of about 0.85 for dots or Xs presented.
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This study was supported by NIH Grant HD04869-01. The author is grateful to Allan Frosch for collecting and tabulating the data in Experiment 1, to Paul Kadis and Ora Ezrachi for collecting and tabulating the data in Experiments 2, 3, and 4, and to S. S. Stevens for commenting on an earlier version of the report.
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Krueger, L.E. Perceived numerosity. Perception & Psychophysics 11, 5–9 (1972). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212674
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03212674