The Non-Symbolic (NS) numerosity and symbolic number processing abilities of children were tested

The approximate system of numeration (ANS) theory and therefore the ANS mapping account are the foremost prominent theories on non-symbolic numerosity processing and symbolic number processing respectively, over the last 20 years. Recently, there's a growing debate about these theories, mainly supported research in adults. However, whether the ANS theory and ANS mapping account explain the processing of non-symbolic numerosity and symbolic number in childhood has received little attention. Within the current ERP study, we first examined whether non-symbolic numerosity processing in 9-to-12-year-old children (N = 34) is intuitive, as proposed by the ANS theory. Second, we examined whether symbolic number processing is rooted in non-symbolic numerosity processing, as proposed the ANS mapping account. ERPs were measured during four same-different match-to-sample tasks with nonsymbolic numerosities, symbolic numbers, and combinations of both. We found no evidence for intuitive processing of non-symbolic numerosity. Instead, children processed the visual features of non-symbolic stimuli more automatically than the numerosity itself. Moreover, children don't seem to automatically activate non-symbolic numerosity when processing symbolic numbers.