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Constructing rationals through conjoint measurement of numerator and denominator as approximate integer magnitudes in tradeoff relations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 December 2021

Jun Zhang*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI48109, USA. [email protected]/psych/junz

Abstract

To investigate mechanisms of rational representation, I consider (1) construction of an ordered continuum of psychophysical scale of magnitude of sensation; (2) counting mechanism leading to an approximate numerosity scale for integers; and (3) conjoint measurement structure pitting the denominator against the numerator in tradeoff positions. Number sense of resulting rationals is neither intuitive nor expedient in their manipulation.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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