To investigate the Role of Attention in Number –Time Interaction

Abstract

We need to be able to represent temporal, geographical, and numerical data if we are to comprehend the environment we live in. Numerous cognitive, neurological, and developmental models have been developed to explain how we track quantity because of the prevalence of quantitative representations in the natural world.A theory of magnitude (ATOM), one of the most well-known theories of magnitude processing, postulates that a generalized magnitude system processes space, time, and numbers; hence, the magnitude dimensions may possibly interact.The ATOM theory has received support from numerous behavioral and neuropsychological investigations. Even while there are many parallels between how time, space, and number are represented, an expanding corpus of literature demonstrates startling dissociations in how each quantity is thought of. However, the magnitudes connected to time and number are processed through different mechanisms, according to more recent research that showed evidence in favor of domain-specific magnitude processing. Due to the contradictory results, it is unclear whether these magnitudes are processed individually or through a single processing mechanism. In the present study, we want to examine the influence of attention on number-time interactions. To investigate this we conducted an experiment using a temporal comparison task wherein we presented small numerical magnitude (1) and large numerical magnitude (9) in two different colors Red and Gray, for varied durations. The results demonstrate that there was overestimation of duration judgment in case of large numerical magnitude presented in red color as compared to small numerical magnitude in red color but no such differences were seen for numerical magnitude that was presented in gray color. The results suggest that general cognitive processes like attention and arousal, rather than the common magnitude system, may be responsible for the influence of visual numbers on temporal processing.