The representation of numbers in space [Elektronische Ressource] : a journey along the mental number line / Dana Müller

Universität Potsdam Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät Institut für Psychologie THE REPRESENTATION OF NUMB3RS IN SPACE: A JOURNEY ALONG THE MENTAL NUMBER LINEDissertationsschrift Eingereicht bei der humanwissenschaftlichen Fakultät Potsdam zur Erlangung des Grades Dr. phil. DANA MÜLLER Betreut durch: Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Wolf Schwarz Prof. Dr. phil. Dirk Vorberg Potsdam, Oktober 2006 Eingereicht am: 18.10.2006 Tag der Disputation: 09.03.2007Für meine Familie. Mams, Pams und Rike. Danke, dass Ihr dies ermöglicht habt. Es war ein großes Abenteuer. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION: THE MENTAL REPRESENTATION OF NUMB3RS Numbers constitute the only universal language. Nathanael West Chapter 3 The Association of numbers to hands Appendix Instruction Experiment 1 In this experiment your task is to decide if a visually presented digit is even (digits 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8) or odd (digits 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9). If a digit is even then you always have to press the top button. If the digit is odd then you always have to press the bottom button, regardless of the specific index finger deflecting this button. Thus, the mapping of odd/even to the buttons remains the same throughout the entire session. However, the mapping of the hands to the buttons changes after each block. Specifically, in the first block, your left index finger deflects the top button, and your right index finger deflects the bottom button.