The innate human ability to perceive and understand numbers has been a topic of great interest in developmental psychology. Research studies, including those conducted by Karen Wynn and other prominent researchers, have shed light on the numerical capabilities of infants, providing valuable insights into the early stages of numerical cognition. I wanted to dedicate this blog post to explore these intriguing findings, the methodologies used in the studies, and discuss the ongoing debate regarding the nature and extent of infants’ numerical concepts.
Early Numerical Sensitivity
Studies have shown that even very young infants possess an approximate sense of number. In one such study, infants were repeatedly exposed to displays of 16 dots. Researchers ensured that non-numerical factors, such as surface area or luminance, did not influence the infants’ responses. After habituating to the display, the infants were presented with a new display containing 8 dots. The infants looked longer at the novel display, indicating their sensitivity to the numerical difference.
Infants’ Discrimination Abilities
Further research using similar methodologies revealed that six-month-old infants could discriminate numbers differing by a 2:1 ratio (e.g., 8 vs. 16 or 16 vs. 32), but not by a 3:2 ratio (e.g., 8 vs. 12 or 16 vs. 24). However, by 10 months of age, infants demonstrated increased sensitivity to numerosity differences, successfully discriminating both the 2:1 and 3:2 ratios. These findings suggest that infants’ numerical discrimination abilities develop and refine over time.
Simple Arithmetic Operations
Karen Wynn’s studies showcased infants’ remarkable ability to perform simple arithmetic operations. Using the “violation of expectation” paradigm, Wynn presented infants with scenarios involving additions or subtractions. For instance, infants were shown one Mickey Mouse doll disappearing behind a screen, followed by another doll. When the screen was lowered, if infants were presented with only one Mickey (the “impossible event”), they looked longer in surprise compared to when they were shown two Mickeys (the “possible event”). This indicated their ability to detect numerical discrepancies.
Debates and Controversies
The research findings on infant numerical cognition have sparked debates regarding the nature versus nurture aspects of numerical understanding. Gelman and Gallistel suggested an innate concept of natural numbers, which infants map onto the words in their language. In contrast, Carey proposed that infants’ numerical systems can encode approximate large numbers, while language-based natural numbers provide exact representation. The question of whether cultures without number words can deal with natural numbers has yielded mixed results, further fuelling the ongoing discussion.
Conclusion
The studies conducted by researchers like Karen Wynn have provided fascinating insights into the early development of numerical cognition in infants. These findings have challenged traditional beliefs about infants’ numerical abilities and have opened new avenues for exploring the nature of early number concepts. While the debates continue, the research highlights the innate numerical sensitivity of infants and the potential for fostering numerical understanding from an early age. Understanding the foundations of numeral cognition in infants can inform educators and parents in designing age-appropriate activities and fostering a love for mathematics in the primary years.
References:
- Wynn, K. (1992). Addition and subtraction by human infants. Nature, 358(6389), 749-750.
- Wynn, K., & McCrink, K. (2014). Early numerical cognition: A comparative perspective. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 126, 99-107.
- Gelman, R., & Gallistel, C. R. (1978). The Child’s Understanding of Number. Harvard University Press.
- Carey, S. (2004). Bootstrapping and the origin of concepts. Daedalus, 133(1), 59-68.
- Pica, P., Lemer, C., Izard, V., & Dehaene, S. (2004). Exact and approximate arithmetic in an Amazonian indigene group. Science, 306(5695), 499-503.
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