Preschoolers' recognition of numerical equivalence: sequential sets.

The present study was designed to investigate whether 3- to 5-year-olds can recognize numerical equivalence for comparisons involving sequentially presented sets. The relation between accurate numerical-equivalence judgments and acquisition of the conventional counting system also was explored. The results indicate that children recognize numerical equivalence for static sets earlier than for sequential sets. Furthermore, memory for the number of sequentially presented objects emerges earlier than memory for the number of sequential events. Finally, conventional counting ability is linked to success on comparisons involving sequential sets but not on those involving static sets. The implications of these findings for models of nonverbal quantification are discussed. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.