An approximate number sense test

[walfin]

This is some kind of scientific experiment but it would be interesting to know how INTPs compare with the general population.

https://www.testmybrain.org/consent_all.php?exp=32

Approximate Number Sense

You had a score of 85% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 86, meaning you scored higher than 86% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.62 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.



The test was slightly flawed for me, as the first image of each section didn't appear which meant that I guessed the first answers (i.e. 4 answers were guessed). There were some distractions too.

 

[Melllvar]

You had a score of 75% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 48, meaning you scored higher than 48% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.72 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.




One of the questions didn't show up for me either, and I pressed the wrong button and took too long a couple of times. I really have to question the methodology here, both in that this is being done online and they're using people self-estimating their abilities. It isn't a measure of the general population, just of people who like to take online tests, and also their self-estimates are going to be all over the place. They could have used a "approximately equal" option too, as a lot of the time I didn't have any opinion one way or the other.


This also reminds me of some of the studies done of people with autism and savant syndrome. I think the general results were that some people tend to focus on details more than the bigger picture, and hence would do better at things like this, but they miss out on other types of patterns as a trade off. I don't really feel like looking it up right now though.

 

[typus]

You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.57 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.






i hate when i'm asked to estimate my skills compared to other people...

 

[JoeJoe]

You had a score of 87% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 91, meaning you scored higher than 91% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.54 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.
I think I might have taken more time with my answers and thusly possibly also have more answers correct (sometimes just after I pressed the key I would have liked to have pressed the other) if I hadn't known that it was timed.


I'm also interested how good you estimated your personal math skills. Considering, that I'm about to do the German Abitur (similar to international baccalaureate in terms of qualification) one can safely assume, taking statistics into consideration, that my math skills are better than maybe 70% of the population or more. Then I'm also one of the better math students in my year (not "crazy" good, but I'm taking math as a "major"/A-level and not doing bad, especially considering, that so far I haven't done much for my grades) so I estimated myself being better at math than 90% of the population.

Until I went to the theoretical lessons for driving school I never realized how vastly better my memory skills are compared to the rest of the population. Being on a German Gymnasium, it is frightening how little I get in touch with the "more stupid" (take that with a few buckets of salt) part of the population, much less so in a context of learning...

 

[nexion]

You had a score of 82% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 80, meaning you scored higher than 80% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.68 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


I think it is safe to say that INTP's do better on this stuff, generally.

 

[Melllvar]

So far there's a direct correlation between average time to answer and score (from the answers in this thread).

I'd like to take it a few more times to see how much luck has to do with it, considering a good portion of the answers I couldn't really tell one way or the other, and was literally forced to guess. But it seems everyone hits around the same mark. Only getting 7% more correct than I did translates to a 32% percentile difference, showing most people seem to hit pretty close to the average.

 

[nexion]

I think you mean an indirect correlation (score goes up as time goes down). But, what do I know?

 

[Melllvar]

Yeah, that's what I meant. Inverse correlation.

This also seems like a poorly designed test since someone just guessing would have gotten approximately 50%, so they won't really be able to tell the difference between someone who was really, really bad at it and someone who just guessed randomly. Or someone who was very good at it but got bored towards the end and just picked random ones. They'll get results, I just question whether they'll actually mean anything.

Reminds me of an article I read recently about how approximately 95-99% of medical studies were flawed and useless.

 

[nexion]

Yeah, I think it is quite possible that the results of this experiment could be severely skewed.

 

[Trebuchet]

I was reading a couple of months ago about the innate number representations of animals (such as rats and mosquitofish) and humans (adults and infants), and included a study very similar to this one. The article was about the ratios that the subjects could or could not distinguish. For example, if there were twice as many of one than than another, everyone could tell. If they differed by only 10%, though, it was approaching chance. Yes, they do take into account that random guessing would give you 50%.



You had a score of 83% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 82, meaning you scored higher than 82% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.54 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[CoryJames]

You had a score of 83% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 82, meaning you scored higher than 82% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.55 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[mke2686]

Approximate Number Sense



You had a score of 87% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 91, meaning you scored higher than 91% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.6 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

edit: i smoked a joint before i took this test i will take it again and post results...

 

[lone_dreamer]

You had a score of 84% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 84, meaning you scored higher than 84% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.57 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Firehazard159]

Me:

You had a score of 84% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 84, meaning you scored higher than 84% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.51 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

You had a score of 75% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 48, meaning you scored higher than 48% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.72 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.




One of the questions didn't show up for me either, and I pressed the wrong button and took too long a couple of times. I really have to question the methodology here, both in that this is being done online and they're using people self-estimating their abilities. It isn't a measure of the general population, just of people who like to take online tests, and also their self-estimates are going to be all over the place. They could have used a "approximately equal" option too, as a lot of the time I didn't have any opinion one way or the other.


This also reminds me of some of the studies done of people with autism and savant syndrome. I think the general results were that some people tend to focus on details more than the bigger picture, and hence would do better at things like this, but they miss out on other types of patterns as a trade off. I don't really feel like looking it up right now though.

Interestingly, I hit the wrong key at least 4-6 times too. I'm curious how many of those were right/wrong switchups....

 

[Minuend]

I hit the wrong key quite a few times.

You had a score of 81% correct on this test

Your percentile score on this test was 72

It took you an average of 0.28 seconds to respond to each item.

 

[walfin]

I'm not sure if they're really using the web results for very much, if at all. The purpose of the research seemed to be to find a way to improve maths education and the research shows that cultivating approximate number sense, if possible, might help children learn maths better (of course, causation is unclear as yet). Since most people on the web doing the tests are probably not children + the inherent problems with using web survey results (computer fault etc), they mightn't be giving as much weight to it as their more controlled tests, but the larger sample size on the web would probably generate some useful data.

So far there's a direct correlation between average time to answer and score (from the answers in this thread).

And it's a counterintuitive one - because one might think that the longer I spend pondering something, the more accurate I'd be. Nope.

Or maybe you could say it's intuitive - it shows that it's intuition @ work! (not the MBTI intuition of course)

*wait a minute now I'm not so sure. Will probably do a graph after more people post results.

They could have used a "approximately equal" option too, as a lot of the time I didn't have any opinion one way or the other.

That's the whole point.

They wanted to test how fine the testee's approximate number sense was. Whether the testee could detect up to a 5/6 ratio or a 9/10 ratio.

Though who knows, maybe some trick questions indeed had equal numbers. But those would probably not be counted.

 

[Bird]

You had a score of 93% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 98, meaning you scored higher than 98% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.83 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[JoeJoe]

You had a score of 93% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 98, meaning you scored higher than 98% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.83 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

So, if that had been an IQ test you could go to Mensa...

 

[Itchy Feet]

You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.87 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Xanstrollinoax]

You had a score of 88% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 93, meaning you scored higher than 93% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.83 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Nocturne]

lol. wow, this quiz made my eyes go wonky. but.... I scored 81 percent. that's pretty okay, i guess. Oh yeah, and it also took me around .61 seconds to respond in average. lol

 

[Wolfpine]

You had a score of 88% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 93, meaning you scored higher than 86% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.48 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[EvilScientist Trainee]

Is it the test where you have to count the yellow/blue dots in a very small amount of time, thus giving an 'approximate number sense'?

If it is, i'd like to ask if it was just me or someone else just wanted to answer the fastest as possible? I had a score of 89%, answering at 0.53 secs.

 

[Minuend]

If it is, i'd like to ask if it was just me or someone else just wanted to answer the fastest as possible? I had a score of 89%, answering at 0.53 secs.

I did feel compelled to match the speed of the blinking screen.

I beat you tho

 

[Madoness]

You had a score of 83% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 82, meaning you scored higher than 82% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.69 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Hadoblado]

You had a score of 85% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 86, meaning you scored higher than 86% of people who took this test

I was answering within .48 secs, I felt as if the longer I waited the less likely I would be to remember and have my answer reflect some inkling of truth. Also I took this a second time and only got 72% correct.

 

[Iximi]

You had a score of 91% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 97, meaning you scored higher than 97% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.68 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[terraxceles]

You had a score of 88% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct. Your percentile score on this test was 93, meaning you scored higher than 93% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.9 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


So, do I win something?

 

[suomynona]

You had a score of 89% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 95, meaning you scored higher than 95% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.53 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


Things to note though: I was tired when I did the test. I am reclining on a couch. I am using a laptop.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.53 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


Better than I thought, given that I thought I was really just guessing quite a lot of them and kept pressing the wrong button after a streak of a few of the same colour.

I also noticed that I was more likely to think that there more more of a certain colour after picking that colour the previous time - like, once I hit y I had "yellow" on my mind and they became more prominent. It also seemed like, the quicker the flash of circles was, the more confident I would feel. The inverse answering time vs. number correct relationship is kinda obvious.

The test's purpose seemed kinda silly. I thought there'd be some complex quantitative measurement of human perceptual abilities going on, not just "we're seeing if people who are good at maths have better number approximating abilities".

 

[kantor1003]

There is something wrong seeing that almost everyone that have posted in this thread thus far have received results well above average.


You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.61 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[socialexpat]

Hehe, there was even a false in it .. Presenting me two times the same picture .. And i pressed for both the same pictures a diffirent button.

You had a score of 87% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 91, meaning you scored higher than 91% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.53 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[warryer]

You had a score of 78% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 60, meaning you scored higher than 60% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.43 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Tyria]

You had a score of 87% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 91, meaning you scored higher than 91% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.67 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[tree]

You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct. Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.72 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.
_____________________


A few of the questions didn't work for me, though (I didn't see any dots at all and just guessed).

 

[Bird]

You had a score of 91% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 97, meaning you scored higher than 97% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.61 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


____________

after three hours of sleep.


I think this really just supports my unbelievable
amount of paranoia and need to always be
very spatially aware.

 

[kantor1003]

You seem to be enjoying this test Bird. Always fun to do something one does well I guess

 

[Bird]

You seem to be enjoying this test Bird. Always fun to do something one does well I guess

I actually just wanted to see if I would
do worse or better. Last time I was high
but this time I haven't really been sleeping
all too much. This time I ran out of time
on three questions because I lost focus
and was paying attention to something
else. I wanted to see which was worse
for me in this regard, being high or lack
of sleep.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

I actually just wanted to see if I would
do worse or better. Last time I was high
but this time I haven't really been sleeping
all too much. This time I ran out of time
on three questions because I lost focus
and was paying attention to something
else. I wanted to see which was worse
for me in this regard, being high or lack
of sleep.

Show-off.

 

[Melllvar]

You had a score of 78% correct on this test.

You almost did as badly as me. *high five* Now let's go skip school and make fun of the smart kids.

(seriously I'm the only person in this thread who scored below average. Damn tests)

 

[EyeSeeCold]

You had a score of 78% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 60, meaning you scored higher than 60% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.48 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.




Does the response time really matter?

(seriously I'm the only person in this thread who scored below average. Damn tests)

Nah I got your exact same results and tried it again.

 

[^_\\]

Yeah, that's what I meant. Inverse correlation.

Reminds me of an article I read recently about how approximately 95-99% of medical studies were flawed and useless.

Link to the article?


If this is the really long test with blue and yellow dots I did this a while ago (was posted on intpc) and think I got 91% right and I thought I got 96th percentile but I now see 91% corresponds to 97th percentile.. Anyone else feel like they weren't doing much more than guessing? BTW to the person saying the test was off I got my dad to do it and he scored pretty low. Could folks get randoms to do the test? Maybe this number sense is something intps, or forumgoers, or people who care enough to sit through the whole test are good at.

 

[Particle]

First time taker:

 

[MissQuote]

You had a score of 87% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 91, meaning you scored higher than 91% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.47 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.


Several of them I knew damed well I had hit the wrong button as soon as I hit it, but some others I just randomly guessed because I couldn't tell which had more.

 

[Artsu Tharaz]

When I took this test, I thought that the questionairre at the start was part of the test, in that it was measuring your ability approximations, and was then going to test these, for Dunning-Kruger style pwnage.

 

[PapyrusAirplanes]

You had a score of 86% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 90, meaning you scored higher than 90% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.5 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Joz_helloworld]

You had a score of 84% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.
Your percentile score on this test was 84, meaning you scored higher than 84% of people who took this test
It took you an average of 0.55 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

 

[Blue Dream]

You had a score of 84% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 84, meaning you scored higher than 84% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.48 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

Does it really take the average person 1.3 seconds?! No one here took over 1...

 

[Tempestas]

You had a score of 85% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 86, meaning you scored higher than 86% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.57 seconds to respond to each item.

I kept getting sidetracked by the words "press b for blue.." and whatnot, so then the next page would be up and I'd forget to be paying attention x3

 

[psychopathwannabe]

You had a score of 81% correct on this test. Based on the results we have so far, the average person who takes this test scores 76% correct.

Your percentile score on this test was 72, meaning you scored higher than 72% of people who took this test

It took you an average of 0.57 seconds to respond to each item. The average person who takes this test takes an average of 1.3 seconds to respond to each item. This means you respond to each item a little faster than the average person who takes this test.

now this totally (not really) explains why my maths suck big time.