Serial dependence in the auditory numerical estimation task

Abstract Serial dependence, the phenomenon wherein current perceptions are modulated by preceding perceptions, is posited to play a pivotal role in facilitating perceptual stability. While the exploration of serial dependence has been extensive across various paradigms employing numerical stimuli, its manifestation in tasks requiring auditory numerical estimation remains unexplored. This study aimed to ascertain the presence of serial dependence in auditory numerical estimation tasks. Specifically, it examined participant estimations of object numbers based on the sound of objects colliding with a floor (Experiment 1) and estimations of the number of brief white noises (Experiment 2). Both experiments revealed serial dependence effects, whereby participants' numerical estimates were influenced to align more closely with the number of stimuli presented in the trial immediately prior.