A Numeracy-Task interaction model of perceived differences

Abstract

When people evaluate numerical differences, they can focus on the relative differences or the absolute differences. However, it is unclear who does what and when. The authors propose the Numeracy-Task Interaction Model to provide a framework for understanding individuals’ subjective difference perceptions. With empirical support in four studies, the authors shed light on how numeracy relates to tendencies to weight absolute and relative differences, depending on the type of task at hand. The authors find that numeracy can reduce the influence of absolute differences for some tasks but increase their influence for others. Additionally, sensitivity to relative differences increases for some tasks but not others. These results not only support the model but also generate various recommendations for future research.