# Effects of word-evoked object size on covert numerosity estimations

## TL;DR

This study shows that people estimate the number of large animals as higher than small ones, and longer rows are seen as less healthy, based on word-evoked images.

## Contribution

The study confirms and extends classical findings on object size effects in numerosity estimation using health statement probability ratings.

## Key findings

- Statements about large animals scored lower than those about small animals.
- Statements about longer rows scored lower than those about shorter rows.
- No interaction between object size and row length was found.

## Abstract

We investigated whether the size and number of objects mentioned in digit-word expressions influenced participants’ performance in covert numerosity estimations (i.e., property probability ratings). Participants read descriptions of big or small animals standing in short, medium, and long rows (e.g., There are 8 elephants/ants in a row) and subsequently estimated the probability that a health statement about them was true (e.g., All elephants/ants are healthy). Statements about large animals scored lower than statements about small animals, confirming classical findings that humans perceive groups of large objects as being more numerous than groups of small objects (Binet, 1890) and suggesting that object size effects in covert numerosity estimations are particularly robust. Also, statements about longer rows scored lower than statements about shorter rows (cf. Sears, 1983) but no interaction between factors obtained, suggesting that quantity information is not fully retrieved in digit—word expressions or that their values are processed separately.