Effects of Connectedness on Visual Enumeration
School Name
Governor's School for Science and Mathematics
Grade Level
12th Grade
Presentation Topic
Psychology and Sociology
Presentation Type
Mentored
Written Paper Award
1st Place
Abstract
Visual enumeration refers to the process by which individuals determine quantity without sequentially counting. When people enumerate small quantities, for example less than 5 items, it is referred to as subitzing (G.S. Starkey, B.D. McCandliss). As quantities increase, so does difficulty in enumerating correctly and accurately. Therefore, many people use a method called groupitizing by which they group larger quantities together in order to enumerate them. This experiment aimed to look at how grouping by connectedness (Palmer, S. and Rock) affects visual enumeration. In everyday life, experiments like these can assess mathematical skills, and early signs of numerical cognition impairments. The total experiment consisted of 420 trials of dot stimuli that were flashed to 11 participants for 0.15 seconds. There were 4 different types of arrangements for the dots, with 105 trials per condition. The respondents were told that the answer choices ranged from 2-50, but in fact only prime numbers were possible answers. In 2 out of the 4 conditions, most subjects could accurately enumerate up to 5 dots 100% of the time. These successful conditions were those which connected the dots with lines, as opposed to the other two conditions which did not. Among the unconnected conditions, success rates were never higher than 60%. These findings provide further evidence for Gestalt’s principle of uniform connectedness, which explains that connected items can be more easily enumerated than unconnected ones.
Recommended Citation
McGill, Felicia, "Effects of Connectedness on Visual Enumeration" (2018). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 90.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2018/all/90
Location
Neville 305
Start Date
4-14-2018 10:00 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Effects of Connectedness on Visual Enumeration
Neville 305
Visual enumeration refers to the process by which individuals determine quantity without sequentially counting. When people enumerate small quantities, for example less than 5 items, it is referred to as subitzing (G.S. Starkey, B.D. McCandliss). As quantities increase, so does difficulty in enumerating correctly and accurately. Therefore, many people use a method called groupitizing by which they group larger quantities together in order to enumerate them. This experiment aimed to look at how grouping by connectedness (Palmer, S. and Rock) affects visual enumeration. In everyday life, experiments like these can assess mathematical skills, and early signs of numerical cognition impairments. The total experiment consisted of 420 trials of dot stimuli that were flashed to 11 participants for 0.15 seconds. There were 4 different types of arrangements for the dots, with 105 trials per condition. The respondents were told that the answer choices ranged from 2-50, but in fact only prime numbers were possible answers. In 2 out of the 4 conditions, most subjects could accurately enumerate up to 5 dots 100% of the time. These successful conditions were those which connected the dots with lines, as opposed to the other two conditions which did not. Among the unconnected conditions, success rates were never higher than 60%. These findings provide further evidence for Gestalt’s principle of uniform connectedness, which explains that connected items can be more easily enumerated than unconnected ones.
