Abstract：
Recent evidence suggests that using finger-based strategies is beneficial for the acquisition of basic numerical skills. There are basically two finger-based strategies to be distinguished: (a) finger counting (i.e., extending single fingers successively) and (b) finger number gesturing (i.e., extending fingers simultaneously to represent magnitudes). In this study, we investigated both spontaneous and prompted finger counting and finger number gesturing as well as their contribution to basic numerical skills in 3- to 5-year-olds (N = 156). Results revealed that only 6% of children spontaneously used their fingers for counting when asked to name a specific number of animals, whereas 59% applied finger number gesturing to show their age. This indicates that the spontaneous use of finger-based strategies depends heavily on the specific context. Moreover, children performed significantly better in prompted finger counting than in finger number gesturing, suggesting that both strategies build on each other. Finally, both prompted finger counting and finger number gesturing significantly and individually predicted counting, cardinal number knowledge, and basic arithmetic. These results indicate that finger counting and finger number gesturing follow and positively relate to numerical development.
摘要：
最近的证据表明，使用基于手指的策略有利于获得基本的数字技能。基本上有两种基于手指的策略需要区分：(a)手指计数(即，连续延伸单指)和(b)手指数字手势(即，同时延伸手指以表示量值)。在这项研究中,我们调查了3至5岁（N=156）儿童的自发和提示手指计数和手指数字手势以及它们对基本数字技能的贡献。结果显示，当被要求命名特定数量的动物时，只有6%的儿童自发地用手指进行计数，而59%的人使用手指数字手势来显示他们的年龄。这表明基于手指的策略的自发使用在很大程度上取决于特定的上下文。此外，儿童在提示手指计数方面的表现明显优于手指数字手势，这表明两种策略都是建立在一起的。最后,提示手指计数和手指数字手势明显和单独预测计数，基数知识，和基本算术。这些结果表明，手指计数和手指数字手势跟随并与数字发展呈正相关。
