We are used to seeing the numbers move from smallest to largest, from left to right. When this layout flips, people struggle because the numbers are now in the “wrong” place. Psychologists have long ...

For Westerners, numbers and time run left to right. For some Bolivians, any direction will do Consider a ruler, a timeline or even weights lined up in a gym. Why are the smaller values, the earlier ...

When you think of the numbers 1–10, you probably envision them running along a line, with 1 on the left and 10 on the right. Scientists have long debated whether this tendency is hardwired or ...

When people think about the numbers one to ten, they have the tendency to picture number one on the left and the higher numbers on the right. The trait known as mental number line is seen even in ...

(The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Olga Lazareva, Drake University and Reggie Gazes, Bucknell University (THE ...