Zhu Xiaoshuang, Chen Yinghe, Li Yanjun, Deng Zhijun
Institute of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, P. R. China.
PLoS One. 2017 Jun 23;12(6):e0178396. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178396. eCollection 2017.
There has recently been an increasing focus on the development of automatic processing of numerical magnitude. However, little effort has been made to explore automatic access to non-symbolic numerical magnitude in preschool children. In experiment 1, we used a non-symbolic physical size comparison task in 3- to 6-year-olds to examine developmental changes and the effect of ratio and counting principle knowledge. Results showed that the existence of automatic non-symbolic numerical processing began at age 3-4 years and size congruity effects tended to reduce with increasing age from 4 years old. The study also found that non-counting-principle knowers had a larger congruity effect, and in low ratio conditions the size congruity effect was more easily found. In addition, symbolic number comparison ability was negatively related to size congruity effect. In experiment 2, we explored the relationship between inhibition skill and size congruity effects, as well as interference and facilitatory components in children aged 4 years old. Results showed no correlation between inhibition skills and the size congruity effect and only interference effects were found. We also found a larger interference effect in low ratio conditions than in high ratio conditions.
最近，人们越来越关注数字大小自动处理的发展。然而，对于学龄前儿童非符号数字大小的自动获取，却鲜有研究。在实验1中，我们对3至6岁儿童使用非符号物理大小比较任务，以检验发展变化以及比率和计数原则知识的影响。结果显示，非符号数字自动处理在3至4岁时开始出现，且从4岁起，大小一致性效应会随着年龄增长而趋于减小。研究还发现，不了解计数原则的儿童具有更大的一致性效应，并且在低比率条件下，更容易发现大小一致性效应。此外，符号数字比较能力与大小一致性效应呈负相关。在实验2中，我们探究了4岁儿童抑制技能与大小一致性效应之间的关系，以及干扰和促进成分。结果显示，抑制技能与大小一致性效应之间没有相关性，仅发现了干扰效应。我们还发现，低比率条件下的干扰效应比高比率条件下的更大。
