Leibniz-Institut fuer Wissensmedien, Schleichstr. 6, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
Centre for Mathematical Cognition, Loughborough University, Loughborough, LE11 3TU, UK.
Psychol Res. 2021 Oct;85(7):2578-2587. doi: 10.1007/s00426-020-01418-w. Epub 2020 Sep 26.
Recently, it was demonstrated that even basic numerical cognition such as the processing of number magnitude is under cognitive control. However, evidence so far primarily came from adaptation effects to stimulus characteristics (e.g., relative frequency of specific stimulus categories). Expanding this approach, we evaluated a possible influence of more active exertion of cognitive control on basic number processing in task switching. Participants had to perform a magnitude comparison task while we manipulated the order of compatible and incompatible input-output modalities (i.e., auditory/vocal input-visual/manual output vs. auditory/visual input-manual/vocal output, respectively) on the trial level, differentiating repeat vs. switch trials. Results indicated that the numerical distance effect but not the problem size effect was increased after a switch in input-output modality compatibility. In sum, these findings substantiate that basic number processing is under cognitive control by providing first evidence that it is influenced by the active exertion of cognitive control as required in task switching.
最近，人们已经证明，即使是基本的数字认知，如数量大小的处理，也受到认知控制的影响。然而，到目前为止，证据主要来自于对刺激特征的适应效应（例如，特定刺激类别的相对频率）。通过扩展这种方法，我们评估了在任务转换中更积极地运用认知控制对基本数字处理的可能影响。参与者必须在执行大小比较任务的同时，我们在试验水平上操纵兼容和不兼容的输入-输出模式的顺序（即，听觉/声音输入-视觉/手动输出与听觉/视觉输入-手动/声音输出，分别），区分重复试验和转换试验。结果表明，在输入-输出模式兼容性转换后，数字距离效应而不是问题大小效应增加。总之，这些发现为基本数字处理受到认知控制提供了依据，首次证明它受到任务转换中所需的认知控制的积极影响。
