Spatial-numerical associations in preschool children: insights from a pencil-and-paper Number-Line Bisection Task

Numerical and spatial representations are intertwined as in the Mental Number Line, where smaller numbers are on the left and larger numbers on the right (Dehaene, 1992). This relationship has been repeatedly demonstrated with various experimental approaches, for example with the line bisection task. The association between number and space is specifically related to the ordinal meaning of numbers (Gevers, Reynvoet, & Fias, 2003) and is modulated by visual scanning habits related to reading direction (Dehaene et al., 1993). However, it is unclear whether this spatial bias may be present before formal reading and writing is learnt. This thesis investigates the spatial-numerical association in preschool children by focusing on a pencil-and-paper line bisection task. 121 preschoolers aged between 4 and 5 years old participated in a line bisection task across 4 experimental conditions. We expect numerical and spatial representations to be linked before formal education begins, suggesting a privileged relationship between spatial and numerical cognition. Findings from this study may contribute to our understanding of the developmental origins of quantitative intuitions and their interactions.