Mathematical and Negative Information Are Similarly Processed: Pupil Dilation as an Indicator

Lilach Layzer Yavin, Adi Shechter, Orly Rubinsten

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Emotional perception of math-related information can affect an individual’s attitude and professional choices, especially in the area of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professions. Method: The study compared the processing of math-related words, words with negative emotional valence, and words with neutral valence, using the physiological measure of pupil dilation on a random sample of 30 adults. Pupil responses were examined during a lexical decision task (LDT). We sought to show that exposure to math-related stimuli would cause arousal of the sympathetic system leading to an increase in pupil dilation, similar to that caused by exposure to negative stimuli. Results: pupillary responses were sensitive to words with emotional valence; exposure to math-related words led to increased pupil dilation compared to neutral words; exposure to words with negative valence led to increased pupil dilation compared to neutral words; exposure to math-related words and words with negative valence led to similar pupil dilation. The study concludes math-related textual stimuli lead to increased pupil dilation, similar to negative affective valence textual stimuli. Conclusion: These findings create new possibilities for studying the cognitive and emotional effort required to process math-related information using pupillary response, with implications for researchers, educators, and leaders in the field.

Original languageAmerican English
Article number79
JournalJournal of Intelligence
Volume10
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - 3 Oct 2022

Keywords

  • cognitive effort
  • emotional valence
  • mathematics
  • pupil dilation
  • semantical processing

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Education
  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Cognitive Neuroscience

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