SIMNER_Cortex_JAN_2020_author_copy.pdf (576.25 kB)
Numeracy skills in child synaesthetes: evidence from grapheme-colour synaesthesia
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-09, 20:25 authored by Louisa RinaldiLouisa Rinaldi, Rebecca SmeesRebecca Smees, D A Carmichael, Julia SimnerJulia SimnerGrapheme-colour synaesthesia is a neurological trait that causes lifelong colour associations for letter and numbers. Synaesthesia studies have demonstrated differences between synaesthetes and non-synaesthetes in ways that extend beyond synaesthesia itself (e.g., differences in their cognition, personality, and creativity). This research has focused almost exclusively on adult synaesthetes, and little is known about the profiles of synaesthetic children. By and large, findings suggest advantages for synaesthetes (e.g., Chun & Hupé, 2016; Havlik et al., 2015; Rothen et al., 2012; Rouw & Scholte, 2016; Simner & Bain, 2018) although differences in mathematical ability are unclear: some research indicates advantages (e.g., Green & Goswami, 2008) whilst others suggest difficulties (e.g., Rich et al., 2005). In the current study, we tested numerical cognition in a large group of children with grapheme-colour synaesthesia. Synaesthetes with coloured numbers showed advantages over their peers in their sense of numerosity, but not in their curriculum mathematics ability. We discuss how our findings speak to models for synaesthesia, to methodologies for assessing number cognition (e.g., dot numerosity tasks), and to the wider educational practice of using coloured number-tools in schools (e.g., Numicon; Oxford University Press, 2018).
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Publication status
- Published
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- Accepted version
Journal
CortexISSN
0010-9452Publisher
ElsevierExternal DOI
Department affiliated with
- Psychology Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes
Legacy Posted Date
2020-01-28First Open Access (FOA) Date
2021-01-29First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date
2020-01-27Usage metrics
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