Two experiments used a digitizing tablet to analyse the temporal, spatial, and kinematic characteristics of handwritten production of arabic numbers. They addressed a specific issue of the numerical domain: Does the lexical and syntactic structure of verbal numerals influence the production of arabic numerals (Experiments 1 and 2), even after enforced semantic processing in a comparison task (Experiment 2)? Subjects had to write multi-digit arabic numerals (e.g., 1200) presented in two different verbal structures: a multiplicative one (e.g., teen-hundred, douze cents (twelve hundred)) or an additive one (e.g., thousand-unit-hundred, mille deux cents (one thousand two hundred)). Results show differences in the inter-digit jumps that reflect the influence of the structure of verbal numerals, even after the semantic task. This finding is discussed with regard to different models of number transcoding (McCloskey, Caramazza, & Basili, 1985; Power & Dal Martello, 1990, 1997).
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
CipolottiL. (1995). Multiple routes for reading words, why not numbers? Evidence from a case of arabic numeral dyslexia.Cognitive Neuropsychology12, 313–342.
2.
CipolottiL.ButterworthB. (1995). Towards a multiroute model of number processing: Impaired number transcoding with preserved calculation skills.Journal of Experimental Psychology: General124, 375–390.
3.
CipolottiL.ButterworthB.WarringtonE. (1994). From one thousand nine hundred and forty-five to 1000,945.Neuropsychologia32, 503–509.
4.
CohenL.DehaeneS. (1991). Neglect dyslexia for numbers? A case report.Cognitive Neuropsychology2, 1–48.
5.
CohenL.DehaeneS.VerstichelP. (1994). Number words and number non-words: A case of deep dyslexia extending to arabic numerals.Brain117, 267–279.
6.
CooleyW. W.LohnesP. R. (1971). Multivariate data analysisNew York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
7.
DehaeneS. (1989). The psychophysics of numerical comparison: A reexamination of apparently incompatible data.Perception and Psychophysics45, 557–566.
8.
DehaeneS. (1992). Varieties of numerical abilities.Cognition44, 1–42.
9.
DehaeneS.CohenL. (1995). Towards an anatomical and functional model of number processing.Mathematical Cognition1, 83–120.
10.
DehaeneS.DupouxE.MelherJ. (1990). Is numerical comparison digital: Analogical and symbolic distance effects in two-digit number comparison.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance16, 626–641.
11.
DehaeneS.MehlerJ. (1992). Cross-linguistic regularities in the frequency of number.Cognition43, 1–29.
12.
DelazerM.DenesG. (1998). Writing arabic numerals in anagraphic patient.Brain and Language64, 257–266.
13.
DelocheG.SeronX. (1982a). From one to 1: Ananalysis of a transcoding process by means of neuropsychological data.Cognition12, 119–149.
14.
DelocheG.SeronX. (1982b). From three to 3: A differential analysis of skills in transcoding quantities between patients with Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia.Brain105, 719–733.
15.
DelocheG.SeronX. (1987). Numerical transcoding: A general production model.Mathematical disabilities.DelocheG.SeronX.Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
16.
LochyA.ZesigerP.SeronX.Motor complexity of arabic digits: A descriptive study through a new kinematic approach.Cahiers de Psychologie Cognitive. in press.
17.
MacoirL.AudetT.BretonM. F. (1999). Code-dependent pathway for number transcoding: Evidence from a case of selective impairment in written verbal numeral to Arabic transcoding.Cortex35, 629–645.
18.
McCloskeyM. (1992). Cognitive mechanisms in numerical processing: Evidence from acquired dyscalculia.Cognition44, 107–157.
19.
McCloskeyM.CaramazzaA. (1987). Cognitive mechanisms in normal and impaired number processing.Mathematical disabilities: A cognitive neuropsychological perspective.DelocheG.SeronX.Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc201–219.
20.
McCloskeyM.CaramazzaA.BasiliA. (1985). Cognitive mechanisms in number processing and calculation: Evidence from dyscalculia.Brain and Cognition4, 171–196.
21.
McCloskeyM.MacarusoP. (1995). Representing and using numerical information.American Psychologist50, 351–363.
22.
McCloskeyM.SokolS. M.Goodman-SchulmanR. A.CaramazzaA. (1990). Cognitive representations and processes in number production: Evidence from cases of acquired dyscalculia.Cognitive neuropsychology and neurolinguistics: Advances in models of cognitive functions and impairment.CaramazzaA.NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc1–32.
23.
NoëlM.-P.BrysbaertM.FiasW. (1997). About the influence of the presentation format on arithmetic fact retrieval process.Cognition63, 335–374.
24.
NoëlM.-P.SeronX. (1995). Lexicalisation errors in writing arabic numerals: A single case study.Brain and Cognition29, 151–179.
25.
NoëlM.-P.SeronX. (1997). On the existence of intermediate representations in numerical processing.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition23, 697–720.
26.
OrliaguetJ.-P.BoëJ. (1993). The role of linguistics in the speed of handwriting movements: Effects of spelling uncertainty.Acta Psychologica82, 103–113.
27.
PortierS. J.van GalenG. P.ThomassenA. (1993). Phonological and orthographic demands in the production of handwriting.Acta Psychologica82, 251–274.
28.
PowerR. J. D.Dal MartelloM. F. (1990). The dictation of Italian numerals.Language and Cognitive Processes5, 237–254.
29.
PowerR. J. D.Dal MartelloM. F. (1997). From 834 to Eighty Thirty-Four: The reading of arabic numerals by seven-year-old children.Mathematical Cognition3, 63–85.
30.
PowerR. J. D.Longuet-HigginsH. C. (1978). Learning to count: A computational model of language acquisition.Proceedings of the Royal Society of LondonB200, 391–417.
31.
SchomakerL. R. B.van GalenG. P. (1996). Computer models of handwriting.Computational psycholinguistics.DijkstraT.de SmedtK.London: Taylor and Francis Ltd386–420.
32.
SeronX.DelocheG. (1983). From four to 4, a supplement to “from three to 3.Brain106, 735–744.
33.
SeronX.DelocheG.NoelM.-P. (1991). Le transcodage des nombres chez I'enfant: La production des chiffres sousdictée.Les chemins du nombre [Pathways to numbers].BideaudJ.MeljiacC.FisherJ.-P.Arras: Presses Universitaires de Lille303–327.
34.
SeronX.FayolM. (1994). Number transcoding in children: A functional analysis.British Journal of Developmental Psychology12, 281–300.
35.
SeronX.NoëlM.-P. (1995). Transcoding from the arabic code to the verbal one and vice–versa: How many routes?.Mathematical Cognition1, 215–243.
36.
TabachnickB. G.FidellL. S. (1989). Using multivariate statisticsNew York: Harper and Row.
37.
Van der PlaatsR. E.van GalenG. P. (1990). Effects of spatial and motor demands in 141 Handwriting.Journal of Motor Behavior22, 361–365.
38.
van GalenG. P. (1990). Phonological and motoric demands in handwriting: Evidence for discrete transmission of information.Acta Psychologica74, 259–275.
39.
van GalenG. P. (1991). Handwriting: Issues for a psychomotor theory.Human Movement Science10, 165–191.
40.
vanGalenG. P.MeulenbroekR. G. J.HylkemaH. (1986). On the simultaneous processing of words, letters, and strokes in handwriting: Evidence for a mixed linear and parallel model.Graphonomics: Contemporary research in handwriting.KaoH. S. R.van GalenG. P.HoosainR.Amsterdam: North Holland5–20.
41.
van GalenG.SmythM. M.MeulenbroekR. G. J.HylkemaH. (1989). The role of short-term memory and the motor buffer in handwriting under visual and non-visual guidance.Computer recognition and human production of handwriting.PlamondonR.SuenC.SimnerM. L.Singapore: World Scientific253–272.
42.
Van GemmertA. W.van GalenG. P. (1997). Stress, neuromotor noise, and human performance: A theoretical perspective.Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance23, 1299–1313.
43.
ZesigerP. (1995). Ecrire: Approches cognitive, neuropsychologigue, et développementaleParis: Presses Universitaires France.
44.
ZesigerR.HauertC.-A.MounoudP. (1993). Effects of lexicality and trigram frequency on handwriting production in children and adults.Acta Psychologica82, 353–365.
