L4 - Numbers and Counting

Question 1

What abilities are involved in numerical competence?

Answer 1

Relative numerosity discrimination
Absolute number discrimination
Ability to count
Ability to do arithmetic

Question 2

What is relative numerosity discrimination?

Answer 2

Ability to discriminate between sets of items on the basis of the relative number of items that they contain
Emmerton, Lohmann and Niemann
- trained pigeons to discriminate between few and many
- but are they using a different method?

Question 3

What is the concept of absolute number?

Answer 3

Understanding that 4 bananas and 4 elephants have something in common

Question 4

What is the problem with perceptual matching?

Answer 4

It is cofounded with other factors such as time and space
e.g. smaller numbers take up less space
Size of display not the number

Question 5

What is the ability to count?

Answer 5

Gelman and Gallistel argued that counting involves mapping numerosity onto a label that represents that numerosity

Question 6

What is the process of counting involves three principles?

Answer 6

One to one principle - each item is assigned only one numeron
Stable order principle - numerons must always be assigned in the same order
Cardinal principle - the final numeron assigned applied to the whole display

Question 7

What is the ability to do arithmetic?

Answer 7

Addition subtraction etc.
Boysen and Berntson 1989 found that 85% of the time chimp was able to find and add up the correct number of oranges