Potential Moderators of the Left Digit Effect in Numerical Estimation

Authors

  • Katherine Williams
    Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
  • Chenmu Xing
    Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA; Department of Psychological Sciences, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, USA
  • Kolbi Bradley
    Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
  • Hilary Barth
    Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
  • Andrea L. Patalano
    Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA

Abstract

Recent work reveals a left digit effect in number line estimation such that adults' and children's estimates for three-digit numbers with different hundreds-place digits but nearly identical magnitudes are systematically different (e.g., 398 is placed too far to the left of 401 on a 0-1000 line, despite their almost indistinguishable magnitudes; Lai et al., 2018, https://doi.org/10.1111/desc.12657). In two preregistered studies (N = 218), we investigate the scope and malleability of the left digit effect. Experiment 1 used a typical forward-oriented 0-1000 number line estimation task and an atypical reverse-oriented 1000-0 number line estimation task. Experiment 2 used the same forward-oriented typical 0-1000 number line estimation task from Experiment 1, but with trial-by-trial corrective feedback. We observed a large left digit effect, regardless of the orientation of the line in Experiment 1 or the presence of corrective feedback in Experiment 2. Further, analyses using combined data showed that the pattern was present across most stimuli and participants. These findings demonstrate a left digit effect that is robust and widely observed, and that cannot be easily corrected with simple feedback. We discuss the implications of the findings for understanding sources of the effect and efforts to reduce it.