论文信息 - Estimating Approximate Number Sense (ANS) Acuity

Estimating Approximate Number Sense (ANS) Acuity

The Approximate Number Sense (ANS) is a psychophysical construct thought to underlie quantity estimation, number processing, and the acquisition of number and math concepts during childhood. ANS acuity can be measured through speeded quantitative comparison items, which can be metricized through an “internal Weber fraction”, w, of an individual’s sensitivity to numerical differences. An individual’s w is a latent trait with two associated item models, which are uniquely grounded in psychophysical theory and modern neuroscience research: least squares error and maximum likelihood estimation. However, researchers interested in the ANS have overlooked the utility of IRT modeling for estimating w. We leverage over 30,000 job applicants through the pymetrics job matching platform, which includes a common ANS assessment, to compare and relate the parameters, fit and predictions of psychophysical models to “ordinary” IRT models.

Anne Thissen-Roe | Lewis Baker

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