Embodied and situated constraints on the SNARC effect — Preregistration

This study investigates whether body position influences the SNARC effect. Participants will be tested in four positions: seated, standing, lying flat on their back, and lying at a 45-degree angle. The study aims to determine whether the SNARC effect is present in each condition and whether it is weakened in the lying positions. To emulate the fMRI setup better, stimuli will be presented via Meta Quest 2 headset, and responses will be collected using gaming controllers (8Bitdo Ultimate 2C Mint Hall Effect 2.4G) held with both hands resting on the participants’ lower trunk. This study addresses two key questions:

• Does the SNARC effect occur in all body positions?
• Is the effect reduced or absent when the participants are lying down / leaning?

We expect body position to determine the occurrence of the SNARC effect. The effect may be weaker or absent in the lying down / leaning conditions, suggesting the role of embodied constraints in numerical cognition.

Preregistration is available at Open Science Framework

Current status of the study: data under collection