ERIC Number: EJ919449
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Jul
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0965
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Available Date: N/A
Exploring the Developmental Changes in Automatic Two-Digit Number Processing
Chan, Winnie Wai Lan; Au, Terry K.; Tang, Joey
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, v109 n3 p263-274 Jul 2011
Even when two-digit numbers are irrelevant to the task at hand, adults process them. Do children process numbers automatically, and if so, what kind of information is activated? In a novel dot-number Stroop task, children (Grades 1-5) and adults were shown two different two-digit numbers made up of dots. Participants were asked to select the number that contained the larger dots. If numbers are processed automatically, reaction time for dot size judgment should be affected by numerical characteristics. The results suggest that, like adults, children process two-digit numbers automatically. Based on the current findings, we propose a developmental trend for automatic two-digit number processing that goes from decomposed sequential (activation of decade digit followed by that of unit digit) to decomposed parallel processing (simultaneous activation of decade and unit digits).
Descriptors: Reaction Time, Numbers, Grade 1, Cognitive Processes, Task Analysis, Comparative Analysis, Adults, Children, Sequential Learning, Elementary Education, Trend Analysis, Mathematics Education
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A