Is it possible to think of something without first having a word for it?
In the realm of numbers, say cognitive scientists, it is.
When tested on their basic numerical faculties, Australian aboriginal children whose languages contain no words for numbers were able to count.
The ability seems to be a basic part of human biology, rather than learned.
"What people are saying is that we're born with a capacity to represent numbers approximately, but not exactly. Our work challenges that idea," said Brian Butterworth, a University College, London cognitive neuroscientist.
Some earlier studies found the opposite, with child speakers of number-free languages unable to count precisely. But Butterworth has observed rare cases in which people from number-rich cultures are incapable of counting, suggesting a biological malfunction – color-blindness in the numerical realm.
Butterworth's latest study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, may prove more conclusive.
"This paper does everything right," said Rochel Gelman, a Rutgers
University cognitive development specialist who reviewed the paper.
"The most important thing is that indigenous people ran the tests. It is very difficult to get good data from indigenous groups unless you have people in the community."
Of the 45 children in the study, 32 spoke Warlpiri or Anindilyakwa.
"It's not just that these cultures lack the words for numbers: they just don't count things," said Butterworth. Nevertheless, the kids counted just as well – and often better – than their English-speaking counterparts.
The study, said Gelman, "really opens the door to questions. What is the role of language, if it's not causal?"
To Butterworth, numbers are just the beginning.
"I see it as part of a larger issue," said Butterworth. "What kinds of cognitive tools are provided by culture, and what is provided by us when we come into the world?"
Numerical thought with and without words: Evidence from indigenous Australian children [PNAS]
Images: Claudecf; PNAS
Update: Could this help explain why some people are bad at math? Read on....
See Also:
- Monkeys Challenge College Students at Basic Math
- Humans Hard-Wired to Remember Phone Numbers
- Babies See Pure Color, but Adults Peer Through Prism of Language
WiSci 2.0: Brandon Keim's Twitter and Del.icio.us feeds; Wired Science on Facebook.
