Revisiting the SNARC effect: testing magnitude classification in a Turkish sample typically lacking the SNARC effect

Abstract

This study investigates the SNARC effect in Turkish participants using a magnitude classification task to examine the roles of semantic influences and cultural experiences. While prior research has shown the absence of the SNARC effect in a parity judgment among Turkish participants who read from left to right our findings further confirm its absence in a magnitude classification task even when semantic demands are minimised. Instead a robust distance effect was observed pointing out the involvement of spatial number processing in the task. These findings are discussed in the context of possible multiple spatial mappings shaped by Turkey’s unique cultural and historical background which may hinder the development of a dominant spatial-numerical association. Future research incorporating explicit spatial primes linked to various cultural experiences could clarify the mechanisms underlying the variability of SNARC effects and offer valuable insights into the relationship between cultural history and cognitive processes. © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.