Discover Education (Nov 2024)

Questioning weber-fechner law in young children's numerical estimation strategies

  • Fernando J. Ballesteros,
  • Bartolo Luque,
  • Herminia Filgaira

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44217-024-00318-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Abstract The subjective number-space mapping and, especially, its evolution in young children has been the subject of intense controversy among different competing models. Many studies point out that: (i) young children's innate estimates follow a logarithmic mapping (Weber-Fechner law) and (ii) driven by education, children evolve into a linear mapping. In this paper we show, in consonance with other investigations, that innate numerical intuitions of young children are in fact a linear mapping, and not a logarithmic one. We found that young children extrapolate linearly from a reference point. The apparent logarithmic mapping is an artifact produced by placing a huge range of numbers within a small number line. We show how the appearance of the mapping can be modulated by changing the size and contour conditions of the number lines used in experiments.

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