Canonical finger-numeral configurations facilitate the processing of Arabic numerals in adults: An Event-Related Potential study

Various studies claim that early-learned, culture-typical (canonical) finger configurations used to communicate or represent numerosity, have stronger connections to numerical concepts stored in long-term memory than cultural-unfamiliar finger configurations, thereby allowing for faster access to their numerical meaning. The current study investigated whether presentation of canonical finger configurations gesturing numerosities 1–4 or 6–9 would facilitate young adults’ behavioral and neural processing of Arabic numerals.

Thirty-one adults performed a number comparison task in which they had to decide whether simultaneously presented Arabic numerals and canonical or non-canonical finger configurations showed the same or a different numerosity, while measuring their performance and Event-Related Potentials (ERPs). The results showed faster responses when comparisons involved canonical (versus non-canonical) finger configurations, but only on numerosity-congruent trials where finger configuration and Arabic numeral matched in number identity.