SNARC effect

Schauperl, Zrinka. (2012). SNARC effect. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Ivanec, Dragutin].

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Abstract

Spatial – numerical association of response codes or SNARC effect is a term for association first noticed by Dehaene (1993). It refers to a faster responses by left hand to smaller numbers and faster responses by right hand to larger numbers. According to Dehaene the effect occurs due to internal representation of numerical magnitude on a left to right mental number line with small numbers on the left and larger numbers on the right side. According to A Theory of Magnitude (Walsh) there is generalized magnitude system in the parietal cortex responsible for mental representation of magnitudes of different domains. With reference to the Walshes theory the goal of this research was to determine if SNARC effect arises with different contrasts (higher and lower contrast). For this purpose the same group of participants took part in two experiments. The goals were to determine if SNARC effect arises with different measures of contrast (first experiment) and with numerical stimuli with classical SNARC paradigm (second experiment). Data was analysed with ANOVA and we confirmed SNARC effect for numbers, but not for different measures of contrast. Participants have not responded faster with left hand to lower contrast, or faster with right hand to higher contrast. It drives to conclusion that SNARC effect is not universal but numerical effect.

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