Developmental
Cognitive Science Laboratory
John E. Opfer, Ph. D.
2024
Yu, S., Sidney, P., Kim, D., Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2024). From integers to fractions: The role of analogy in transfer and long-term learning. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 243, 105918. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2024.105918
Zhang, Y., & Opfer, J. (2024). Visual alignment promotes rapid learning of functional relations. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 46. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/8144c0vz [61.pdf]
2023
Park, H., & Opfer, J. (2023). Children Are Not Just Noisy Adults: Disentangling Noise and Bias in Numerical Estimation. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 45. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1j07688j [60.pdf]
2022
Park, H., & Opfer, J. E. (2022). Number, not uncertainty, drives logarithmic compression of numerosity estimates. Journal of Vision, 22(14), 3107. https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.14.3107 [59.pdf]
Yu, S., Kim, D., Fitzsimmons, C. J., Mielicki, M. K., Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2022). From integers to fractions: The role of analogy in developing a coherent understanding of proportional magnitude. Developmental Psychology, 58(10), 1912–1930. https://doi.org/10.1037/dev0001398 [58.pdf]
Lee, S.H., Kim, D., Opfer, J.E. et al. A number-line task with a Bayesian active learning algorithm provides insights into the development of non-symbolic number estimation. Psychon Bull Rev 29, 971–984 (2022). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-021-02041-5 [57.pdf]
Thompson, C. A., Fitzsimmons, C. J., Mielicki, M., Scheibe, D. A., Sidney, P. G., Schiller, L., Siegler, R. S., & Opfer, J. E. (2022). Comments regarding numerical estimation strategies are correlated with math ability in school-Age children. Cognitive Development, 62, 101188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2022.101188 [56.pdf]
Qin, J., & Opfer, J. (2022). Children’s Cardinality Knowledge Isn’t Always Beneficial. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/1z39h57r [55.pdf]
Yu, S., Lin, H.-C., & Opfer, J. (2022). Conceptual Prerequisites for Proportional Analogy. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 44. [54.pdf]
2021
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (2021). Dynamics versus development in numerosity estimation: A computational model accurately predicts a developmental reversal. Cognitive Science, 45(10). https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.13049 [53.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., Kim, D., Fazio, L., Zhou, X., & Siegler, R. S. (2021). Cognitive mediators of US-China differences in early symbolic arithmetic. PLoS ONE 16(8): e0255283. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal. pone.0255283 [52.pdf]
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (in press). Dynamics vs development in numerosity estimation: A computational model accurately predicts a developmental reversal. Cognitive Science.
2020
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (2020). Compression is evident in children’s unbounded and bounded numerical estimation: Reply to Cohen and Ray (2020). Developmental Psychology, 56(4), 853–860. [51.pdf]
Shuyuan Yu, Dan Kim, Marta K. Mielicki, Charles Fitzsimmons, Clarissa Thompson, John Opfer (2020) From Integers to Fractions: Developing a Coherent Understanding of Proportional Magnitude.
2019
Kai Wang, Daniel R. Leopold, Marie T. Banich, Andrew E. Reineberg, Erik G. Willcutt, Laurie E. Cutting, Stephanie N. Del Tufo, Lee A. Thompson, John Opfer, Frank J. Kanayet, Zhong-Lin Lu, Stephen A. Petril. (2019) Characterizing and decomposing the neural correlates of individual differences in reading ability among adolescents with task-based fMRI, Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience, Volume 37. [50.pdf]
Rhodes, K. T., Lukowski, S., Branum-Martin, L., Opfer, J., Geary, D. C., & Petrill, S. A. (2019). Individual Differences in Addition Strategy Choice: A Psychometric Evaluation. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advance online publication. [49.pdf]
Opfer, John, Kim, Dan, & Young Christopher J., Marciani Francesca (2019) Linear Spatial–Numeric Associations Aid Memory for Single Numbers. Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 10, page 146. [48.pdf]
Lee, S. H., Kim, D., Opfer, J. E., Pitt, M., & Myung, J. (2019). Active Learning for a Number-Line Task with Two Design Variables.
Sidney, P. G., Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2019). Development of fraction understanding. In J. Dunlosky & K. A. Rawson (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of cognition and education (pp. 148–182). Cambridge University Press.
2018
Tosto, M. G., Garon‐Carrier, G., Gross, S., Petrill, S. A., Malykh, S., Malki, K., Hart, S. A., Thompson, L., Karadaghi, R. L., Yakovlev, N., Tikhomirova, T., Opfer, J. E., Mazzocco, M. M., Dionne, G., Brendgen, M., Vitaro, F., Tremblay, R. E., Boivin, M., & Kovas, Y. (2018). The nature of the association between number line and mathematical performance: An international twin study. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 89(4), 787–803. [47.pdf]
Dan Kim, John E. Opfer, Dynamics and development in number-to-space mapping, Cognitive Psychology, Volume 107, 2018, Pages 44-66 [46.pdf]
Niazi, M. K., Abas, F. S., Senaras, C., Pennell, M., Sahiner, B., Chen, W., Opfer, J., Hasserjian, R., Louissaint, A., Shana'ah, A., Lozanski, G., & Gurcan, M. N. (2018). Nuclear IHC enumeration: A digital phantom to evaluate the performance of automated algorithms in digital pathology. PLOS ONE, 13(5). [45.pdf]
Cristine H. Legare, John E. Opfer, Justin T.A. Busch, Andrew Shtulman. (2018) A field guide for teaching evolution in the social sciences, Evolution and Human Behavior, Volume 39, Issue 3, 2018, Pages 257-268 [44.pdf]
Shuyuan Yu, John Opfer. (2018) Source Retrieval Cues Facilitate Transfer in Fraction Learning. Proceedings of the 40th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, CogSci 2018, Madison, WI, USA, July 25-28 [43.pdf]
Opfer, J., Kim, D., Sidney, P., Fitzsimmons, C., & Thompson, C.A. (2018). Taking Whorf to School: Does Language Reform Improve Student Learning? Cognitive Science. [42.pdf]
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (2018). Cognitive Processes in Numerosity Comparison: Theory and Data. Cognitive Science Society. [41.pdf]
Qin, J., & Opfer, J. (2018). Rote versus Rule: Revisiting the Role of Language in Mathematical Thinking. In CogSci. [40.pdf]
John E. Opfer, Dan Kim, Jike Qin, (2018) Chapter 5 - How Does the “Learning Gap” Open? A Cognitive Theory of Nation Effects on Mathematics Proficiency, Editor(s): Daniel B. Berch, David C. Geary, Kathleen Mann Koepke, In Mathematical Cognition and Learning, Language and Culture in Mathematical Cognition, Academic Press, 2018, Pages 99-130
2017
Tosto, M. G., Petrill, S. A., Malykh, S., Malki, K., Haworth, C. M. A., Mazzocco, M. M. M., Thompson, L., Opfer, J., Bogdanova, O. Y., & Kovas, Y. (2017). Number sense and mathematics: Which, when and how? Developmental Psychology, 53(10), 1924–1939. [39.pdf]
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (2017). A unified framework for bounded and unbounded numerical estimation. Developmental Psychology, 53(6), 1088–1097. [38.pdf]
Kim, D., & Opfer, J. E. (2017). Numerical and Non-numerical Magnitude Estimation. Cognitive Science Society. [37.pdf]
Opfer, J.E., & McCrink, Koleen. (2017). How not to develop a sense of number. Behavioral and Brain Sciences; New York Vol. 40 [36.pdf]
2016
Opfer, J.E, Thompson, C. A., & Kim, D. (2016). Free versus anchored numerical estimation: A unified approach, Cognition, Volume 149, Pages 11-17 [35.pdf]
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2016). Learning Linear Spatial-Numeric Associations Improves Accuracy of Memory for Numbers. Frontiers in Psychology, 7. [34.pdf]
2015
Federer, M.R., Nehm, R.H., & Opfer, J.E. (2015). Using a Constructed-Response Instrument to Explore the Effects of Item Position and Item Features on the Assessment of Students’ Written Scientific Explanations. Res Sci Educ 45, 527–553 [33.pdf]
Kim, D., & Opfer, J.E. (2015). Development of numerosity estimation: A linear to logarithmic shift? Proceedings of the 37th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society, 1087-1092 [32.pdf]
2014
Federer, M. R., Nehm, R., Opfer, J. E., & Pearl, D. (2014). Using a constructed-response instrument to explore the effects of item position and item features on the assessment of written scientific explanations. Research in Science Education. [31.pdf]
Kanayet, F. J., Opfer, J. E., & Cunningham, W. A. (2014). The value of numbers in economic rewards. Psychological Science, 25, 1534 - 1545. [30.pdf]
McCrink, K., & Opfer, J. E. (2014). Development of spatial-numerical associations. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23, 439 - 445. [29.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Thompson, C. A. (2014). Numerical estimation under supervision. In Bello P., Guarini M., McShane M. & Scassellati B. (Eds.) Proceedings of the 36th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1586 - 1591). Austin TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2014). Affective constraints on acquisition of musical concepts: Children's and adults' development of the major-minor distinction. Psychology of Music. [28.pdf]
2013
Furlong, E. E., & Opfer, J. E. (2013). Cooperation decreases with development of number sense. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N. Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Kanayet, F. J., Opfer, J. E., & Cunningham, W. A. (2013). Effects of numeric magnitude on the cortical valuation network. In M. Knauff, M. Pauen, N. Sebanz, & I. Wachsmuth (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society.
Kanayet, F. J., Opfer, J. E., Cunningham, W. A., & Sederberg, P. (2013). Importance of numeric information processing for the valuation of monetary rewards. Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, S118.
2012
Nehm, R., Beggrow, E. P., Opfer, J. E., & Ha, M. (2012). Reasoning about natural selection: Diagnosing contextual competency in evolutionary reasoning using the ACORNS instrument. American Biology Teacher, 74, 92-98. [27.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Martens, M. M. (2012). Learning without representational change: Development of numerical estimation in individuals with Williams' Syndrome. Developmental Science, 15, 863 - 875. [26.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., Nehm, R., & Ha, M. (2012). Cognitive foundations for science assessment design: Knowing what students know about evolution. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 49, 744-777. [25.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Siegler, R. S. (2012). Development of quantitative thinking. In K. Holyoak and R. Morrison (Eds.), Oxford Handbook of Thinking and Reasoning. [24.pdf]
Ratcliff, R., Love, J., Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J.E. (2012). Children are not like older adults: A diffusion model analysis of developmental change in speeded responses. Child Development, 83, 367-381. [23.pdf]
Thompson, C. A.*, & Opfer, J. E. (2012). The trouble with transfer: Insights from the study of learning. In N. M. Seel (Ed.), Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer.
2011
Opfer, J. E., Siegler, R.S., & Young, C.J. (2011). The powers of noise-fitting: Reply to Barth and Paladino. Developmental Science, 14, 1194 - 1204. [22.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Furlong, E. E. (2011). How numbers bias preschoolers' spatial search. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology, 42, 682-695. [21.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Sloutsky, V. M. (2011). On the design and function of rational arguments. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 34, 85-86. [20.pdf]
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2011). Learning Linear Spatial-Numeric Associations Improves Memory for Numbers. In L. Carlson, C. Hölscher and T. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXXIII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Young, C. J., & Opfer, J. E. (2011). Psychophysics of numerical representation: A unified approach to single- and multi-digit magnitude estimation. Journal of Psychology, 219, 58-63. [19.pdf]
Young, C. J., Marciani, F., Opfer, J. E. (2011). Linear Numerical Magnitude Representations Aid Memory for Single Numbers. In L. Carlson, C. Hölscher and T. Shipley (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXXIII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
2010
Kanayet, F., Opfer, J. E., & Cunningham, W. A. (2010). Electrophysiological evidence for multiple representations of number in the human brain. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXXII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Opfer, J. E., Thompson, C. A., & Furlong, E. E. (2010). Early development of spatial-numeric associations: Evidence from spatial and quantitative performance of preschoolers. Developmental Science, 13, 761 - 771. [18.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Gelman, S. A. (2010). Development of the animate-inanimate distinction. In U. Goswami (Ed.), Wiley-Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Cognitive Development (pp. 213 - 238). [17.pdf]
Tang, Y., Young, C. J., Myung, J. I., Pitt, M. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2010). Optimal inference and feedback for representational change. In S. Ohlsson & R. Catrambone (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXXII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2010). How 15 hundred is like 15 cherries: Effect of progressive alignment on representational changes in numerical cognition. Child Development, 81, 1768-1786. [16.pdf]
2009
Bulloch, M. J., & Opfer, J. E. (2009). What makes relational reasoning smart? Revisiting the relational shift in cognitive development. Developmental Science, 12, 114 - 122. [15.pdf]
Furlong, E. E., & Opfer, J. E. (2009). Cognitive constraints on how economic rewards affect cooperation. Psychological Science, 20, 11 - 16. [14.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Bulloch, M. J. (2009). Concept development. In E. Anderman & L. Anderman (Eds.), Psychology of Classroom Learning: An Encyclopedia. Detroit: Macmillan Reference.
Siegler, R. S., Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2009). The logarithmic-to-linear shift: One learning sequence, many tasks, many time scales. Mind, Brain, and Education, 3, 143 - 150. [13.pdf]
2008
Opfer, J. E., & Doumas, L. A. A. (2008). Analogy and conceptual change. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 31, 35. [12.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & DeVries, J. (2008). Representational change and magnitude estimation: Why young children can make more accurate salary comparisons than adults. Cognition, 108, 843 - 849. [11.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Thompson, C. A. (2008). The trouble with transfer: Insights from microgenetic changes in the representation of numerical magnitude. Child Development, 79, 790 - 806.[10.pdf]
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2008). Costs and benefits of representational change: Effect of context on age and sex differences in magnitude estimation. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 101, 20 - 51. [09.pdf]
2007
Opfer, J. E., & Bulloch, M. J. (2007). Causal relations drive young children's induction, naming, and categorization. Cognition, 105, 207-217. [08.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Siegler, R. S. (2007). Representational change and children's numerical estimation. Cognitive Psychology, 55, 169-195. [07.pdf]
Opfer, J. E., & Thompson, C. A. (2007). What is the trouble with transfer? In McNamara, D. S., & Trafton, G. (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXIX Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Opfer, J. E., Thompson, C. A., & DeVries, J. M. (2007). Why children make "better" estimates of fractional magnitude than adults. In McNamara, D. S., & Trafton, G. (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXIX Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
2006
Opfer, J. E., & Devries, J. (2006). How adults acquire children's representation of numeric quantity. Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Development and Learning, Bloomington, IN.
Opfer, J. E., & Thompson, C. A. (2006). Even early representations of numerical magnitude are spatially organized: Evidence for a directional magnitude bias in pre-reading preschoolers. In Sun, R., & Miyaki, N. (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXVIII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum
2005
Thompson, C. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2005). Everyday constraints on learning: Children's and adults' development of the major-minor distinction. In Bara, B. G., Barsalou, L.W., & Bucciarelli, M. (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXVII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 2184-2189. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
Opfer, J. E., & Siegler, R. S. (2005). Microgenetic changes in representations of numerical magnitude. In Bara, B. G., Barsalou, L.W., & Bucciarelli, M. (Eds.), Proceedings of the XXVII Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, 2184-2189. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
2004
Opfer, J. E., & Siegler, R. S. (2004). Revisiting preschoolers' living things concept: A microgenetic analysis of conceptual change in basic biology. Cognitive Psychology, 49, 301-332. 06.pdf
2003
Siegler, R. S., & Opfer, J. E. (2003). The development of numerical estimation: Evidence for multiple representations of numerical quantity. Psychological Science, 14, 237 - 243. 05.pdf
Opfer, J. E. (2003). Life, liveliness, and living kinds: How young children think about the biological world [Review of Young children's naive thinking about the biological world]. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 27, 375 - 380. 04.pdf
2002
Opfer, J. E. (2002). Identifying living and sentient kinds from dynamic information: The case of goal-directed versus aimless autonomous movement in conceptual change. Cognition, 86, 97 - 122. 03.pdf
Gelman, S. A., & Opfer, J. E. (2002). Development of the animate-inanimate distinction. In U. Goswami (Ed.), Blackwell Handbook of Childhood Cognitive Development (pp. 151 - 166). Oxford, UK: Blackwell. 02.pdf
2001
Opfer, J. E., & Gelman, S. A. (2001). Children's and adults' models for predicting teleological action: The development of a biology-based model. Child Development, 72, 1367 - 1381. 01.pdf