Evidence map›Paper›PMID 36002617›Full record

ArticleScientific reports2022

Symmetry as a grouping cue for numerosity perception.

Paula A Maldonado Moscoso, Giovanni Anobile, David C Burr, Roberto Arrighi, Elisa Castaldi

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Scientific reports, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. "Groupitizing": A Visuo-Spatial and Arithmetic Phenomenon.Open mind : discoveries in cognitive science · 2025
    Article
  6. Feature-selective adaptation of numerosity perception.Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2025
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Autistic-Like Traits in Members of the General Population and Mate Retention Tactics: The Mediation of Attachment Styles and Reproductive Strategies.Evolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Paula A Maldonado MoscosoInstitute of Neuroscience, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
Giovanni AnobileDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
David C BurrDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Roberto ArrighiDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Elisa CastaldiDepartment of Neuroscience, Psychology, Pharmacology and Child Health, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. elisa.castaldi@unifi.it.

Funding

European Research Council 832813
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

To estimate the number of objects in an image, each element needs to be segregated as a single unit. Several principles guide the process of element identification, one of the strongest being symmetry. In the current study, we investigated how symmetry affects the ability to rapidly estimate the number of objects (numerosity). Participants judged the numerosity of asymmetric or symmetric arrays of various numerosities. The results show that the numerosity of symmetrical arrays was significantly underestimated at low numerosities, but the effect was greatly reduced at higher numerosities. Adding an additional axis of symmetry (double symmetry) further reduced perceived numerosity. The magnitude of the symmetry-driven underestimation was inversely correlated with autistic personality traits, consistent with previous work associating autistic traits with perceptual grouping. Overall, these results support the idea that perceived numerosity relies on object segmentation and grouping cues, with symmetry playing a key role.

Indexed as

Autistic DisorderCuesHumansPerception

Identifiers

PMID36002617
PMCPMC9402546

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.