Patro, K. 1 & Cipora, K. 2
1 Faculty of Psychology. University of Warsaw. Warsaw, Poland.
2 Institute of Psychology. Jagiellonian University. Cracow, Poland.
The aim of presented study was to assess the extent to which the SNARC effect (Spatial-Numerical Association of Response Codes) may be accounted for by activating left-to-right scanning and numerical sequences. We hypothesized that reading of task instructions (activating left-to-right scanning) and processing of Arabic numbers (e.g. parity judgment or magnitude classification) within the task activate culturally determined left-to-right mapping. We examine whether SNARC occurs when Arabic number stimuli are excluded and direction of eye movements is being manipulated. In Experiment 1, left-to-right reading participants were orally instructed to determine the color of elements in a set by pressing left or right button. Sets (with equated total surface of elements) varied in numerosity. Reverse SNARC was observed - responses to small sets were facilitated on right hand side and to large on left hand side. In Experiment 2, apart from oral instruction, a ball moving from left to right was presented (thus evoking eye movements similar to those while reading), and no SNARC was found. These results suggest that reading-related left-to-right scanning may inhibit before-existing reverse SNARC. In Experiment 3, we investigate the pattern of the SNARC effect while right-to-left eye movements are evoked. The data are being analyzed.