How precise are numbers? Our new article in Language and Cognition (with @bodowinter.bsky.social and @lordlorson.bsky.social) finds that round numbers are used more approximately at higher magnitudes. (1/5) 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
FYI there is currently an issue with the Arabic in the article that I am trying to get updated.
3️⃣ Did you know that jigsaw puzzles often do not have the exact number of pieces stated on the box? We compared real vs advertised piece counts in jigsaw puzzles, finding that the discrepancy in piece counts increases with magnitude, reflecting increased approximation. 👇 (4/5)
How precise are numbers? Our new article in Language and Cognition (with @bodowinter.bsky.social and @lordlorson.bsky.social) finds that round numbers are used more approximately at higher magnitudes. (1/5) 👇
www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
2️⃣ We compared the distributional semantics of numbers with indefinite hyperbolic numbers like 'gazillion' and 'umpteen', which lack a precise value, finding that larger round numbers like 'million' and 'billion' are used similarly to these fictitious numbers. 👇 (3/5)
We argue that these patterns reflect both the base-10 structure of the decimal system, and the increasing imprecision of the human approximate number system. In short: the bigger the number, the fuzzier its meaning becomes, both communicatively and cognitively. ✅ (5/5)
