Year
2025
Season
Spring
Paper Type
Master's Thesis
College
College of Arts and Sciences
Degree Name
Master of Science in Psychological Science (MSPS)
Department
Psychological and Brain Sciences
NACO controlled Corporate Body
University of North Florida. Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
Committee Chairperson
Dr. Charles Fitzsimmons
Second Advisor
Dr. Lisa Byrge
Department Chair
Dr. Lori Lange
College Dean
Dr. Kaveri Subrahmanyam
Abstract
Fraction understanding is crucial for success in math, but fractions tend to be difficult for people to understand. One source of difficulty in understanding fractions is whole number bias: the incorrect application of whole-number rules during fraction reasoning. However, people do not always make consistent whole number bias errors, which suggests that contextual and individual factors may influence people’s fraction reasoning. In the current study, we tested whether recent experiences with whole numbers, prior knowledge of fraction equivalence, and individual differences in math anxiety and math attitudes influenced whether adults make whole number bias errors during fraction number-line estimation. A sample of 244 adults estimated equivalent small- (e.g., 1/2) and large-component (e.g., 15/30) fractions on number lines. We randomly assigned adults to different priming conditions where they estimated whole numbers that were either proportionally equivalent to the target fraction (e.g., 15 on a 0-30 number line::15/30 on a 0-1 number line) or when they were not (e.g., 15 on a 0-21 line) and compared whole number bias between priming conditions and relative to a no-priming control group. As expected, we found that whole number bias errors were more prevalent in the non-proportional condition compared to the proportional and control conditions. We also found that whole number bias was more likely when people had higher math anxiety in the non-proportional prime condition, but equivalence knowledge and math attitudes were unrelated to whole number bias errors. Our results suggest that recent experiences can sometimes increase adults’ whole number bias errors.
Suggested Citation
Shingledecker, Morgan Rose, "Do recent experiences with whole numbers bias U.S. adults’ fraction number line estimates? The role of prior fraction knowledge, math anxiety, and math attitudes" (2025). UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 1331.
https://digitalcommons.unf.edu/etd/1331