Perceiving numbers causes spatial shifts of attention.

Full Abstract

Number symbols are part of our everyday visual world. Here we show that merely looking at numbers causes a shift in covert attention to the left or right side, depending upon the number's magnitude. This observation implies obligatory activation of number meaning and signals a tight coupling of internal and external representations of space.

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Author information

Author/s: Fischer, Martin H (MH); Castel, Alan D (AD); Dodd, Michael D (MD); Pratt, Jay (J);

Affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Dundee, DD1 4HN Scotland. m.h.fischer(-atsign-)dundee.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Nature neuroscience (Nat Neurosci), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-Jun; vol 6 (issue 6) : pp 555-6

Dates: Created 2003/05/28; Completed 2003/08/14; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12754517, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Attention - physiology
Cognition - physiology
Cues
Eye Movements - physiology
Fixation, Ocular - physiology
Functional Laterality - physiology
Humans

Neuropsychological Tests
Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology
Psychomotor Performance - physiology
Reaction Time - physiology
Space Perception - physiology
Symbolism
Visual Fields - physiology

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