Numerosity adaptation effect

A visual aftereffect in which prolonged exposure to a set of items biases the perceived number of subsequently viewed items. Its direction depends on the adapting and test numerosities.

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Numerosity-selective neurons: Neurons whose responses vary with the number of items in a visual display. Their number-sensitive responses are a leading account of how adaptation shifts perceived numerosity.
Numerosity: The number of items in a set, considered independently of their identities. The effect alters perceived numerosity rather than changing the physical set.
Approximate number system: A cognitive system for representing and comparing quantities without exact counting. Adaptation offers a way to probe the approximate quantity representations used in vision.
Numerosity perception: The perception and estimation of how many items are present in a set. The effect raises questions about the representations underlying visual number estimates.
Neural adaptation: A change in neural responsiveness after sustained or repeated stimulation. The effect is a perceptual consequence of adaptation to a particular numerosity.
Subitizing: The rapid, accurate recognition of small quantities without counting. Adaptation studies often test larger sets, where precise subitizing is unavailable.
Numerical cognition: The mental processes involved in representing, comparing, and using numbers. Visual adaptation connects perceptual quantity estimates with broader numerical abilities.
Visual attention: The selection of visual information for enhanced processing. Attention to individual items may change the size or location of adaptation effects.
Population coding: A neural representation in which information is encoded by the activity pattern of a group of neurons. A shifted pattern of number-tuned activity can explain biased estimates after adaptation.
Visual perception: The processes by which the visual system organizes and interprets sensory input. Numerosity adaptation is one case of perception changing after sustained visual stimulation.