The Quanta Podcast Why the Human Brain Perceives Small Numbers Better
Apr 17, 2024
Exploring how the human brain perceives small and large numbers, uncovering distinct number neurons that represent preferred numbers with a boundary around number four. Implications on memory, attention, and mathematics, sparking debates in cognitive neuroscience and potential applications in AI, education, dyscalculia, and dementia.
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Jevons' Black Bean Experiment
- William Stanley Jevons conducted over 1,000 trials guessing black bean quantities without counting.
- He consistently got numbers up to four correct but erred often beyond that.
Two Number-Processing Brain Systems
- The brain uses two systems to perceive quantities: one estimates, the other sharpens accuracy for small numbers.
- This dual mechanism explains why small numbers are perceived more precisely.
Number Neurons Show Tuning Curves
- Specific neurons in the prefrontal cortex tune to preferred numbers, firing strongest for those numbers.
- These neurons also fire less for numbers near their preferred value, creating a "tuning curve."