Which visual property correlates with the relationship between numerosity sense and arithmetic fluency

ABSTRACT Previous studies have demonstrated the association between visual perceptions (i.e., form, luminance, area, and colour perception) and numerosity processing; however, there is a lack of evidence on the different roles of visual perceptions that contribute to the close relationship between numerosity processing and arithmetic computation. Using a sample of 259 Chinese primary students, this study investigated the visual perception properties that underlie the relationship between numerosity processing and arithmetic ability. A series of cognitive tasks were used to assess their numerosity processing, arithmetic fluency, visual perception, and other general cognitive abilities as cognitive covariates. Visual perceptions were measured through figure matching, luminance matching, colour matching, and area matching tasks. The results showed that form, luminance, area, and colour perception significantly correlated with numerosity processing. Only form perception fully accounted for the close relationship between numerosity and arithmetic fluency. These results suggested that visual form perception was fundamental for numerosity processing and arithmetic fluency.