Ever glance at a handful of apples and instantly know the count, but feel lost amidst a mountain of grapes? Our brains, it turns out, are number ninjas with two tricks up their sleeves, one for small sums and another for bigger batches. For some reason, beyond four objects, our <keyword id="6361813" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="brain" source="Orion">brain</keyword>'s <keyword id="6360247" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="counting" source="Orion">counting</keyword> magic fizzles. Try it yourself: grab a few coins and see if you can tell their number without actually counting. This instant grasp of numbers is called "subitising," and it's been a brain mystery for researchers, until now. Scientists suspected two separate brain circuits handle numbers, and research confirms specific brain cells light up for certain amounts. But here's the twist: these cells aren't sticklers for exact numbers. They buzz for nearby sums too, but their strongest signal shines for their favorite number. The cool thing? Cells representing small numbers, like three, have a superpower: they can silence their neighbors, like the cells for two and four. This keeps the "three" signal loud and clear, no confusion with its buddies. But for bigger numbers, this silencing superpower vanishes. Fives and sixes don't have muscle over their neighbours, so the signals get muddled, explaining why counting larger groups gets wobbly. To test this theory, researchers recruited some volunteers with brain electrodes and showed them dots in various numbers. Watching the brain cells in action, they saw the two-track system at work. People nailed counts up to four, but stumbled and took longer with bigger piles. This research is a big leap in understanding how we number-crunch. It's not just cool brain stuff, but it could help us understand, and maybe even treat, things like <keyword id="4525763" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dyscalculia" source="Orion">dyscalculia</keyword>, where numbers become tricky. So next time you count those coins, remember your brain's doing a fancy two-step with numbers, and science is slowly figuring out the moves!

Why do we instantly recognise smaller quantities, but require counting for larger groups? Study explains

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Actor Rob McElhenney recently shared that he's been diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders.</li><li>The "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/always-sunny-fun-facts-2019-1">Always Sunny</a>" star is part of a growing trend of people who don't receive a diagnosis until adulthood. </li></ul>Earlier this week, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actor <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/rob-mcelhenney-looks-fit-in-instagram-post-2018-9">Rob McElhenney</a> shared on Twitted that he was "diagnosed with a host of neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities" at the age of 46. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Rob McElhenney (@RMcElhenney) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1678887701754572800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote>The post was met with appreciation and the stories of countless others who had similarly been <a href="https://www.insider.com/nfl-linebacker-jt-thomas-diagnosed-with-adhd-at-age-24-2022-11">diagnosed as neurodivergent as adults</a>. One user wrote, "Your openness is great for neurodivergent folks like me (who was diagnosed Autistic at 37, but been diagnosed with Dyscalculia and Hyperlexia for most of my like)."While McElhenney hasn't fully disclosed the conditions he was diagnosed with, he is part of a growing trend of people who are being diagnosed with <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-productively-with-adhd-remote-work-bodydoubling-monotasking-2023-3">neurodevelopmental disorders in adulthood</a>. <h2>Neurodevelopmental disorders begin in childhood</h2>Neurodevelopmental disorders encompass several mental health disorders, including <a href="https://www.insider.com/guides/health/is-adhd-genetic">attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/woman-was-diagnosed-with-autism-at-almost-40-2023-1">autism</a>, that begin during childhood. Neurodevelopmental disorders can have a range of symptoms. For example, some people with ADHD may have difficulties with concentration, organization or sitting still, according to the<a href="https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/4784-attention-deficithyperactivity-disorder-adhd" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Cleveland Clinic</a>.Although these symptoms begin in childhood, they can <a href="https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-07715-9_7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">extend into adulthood</a> and affect a person for the entirety of their lives. Living with a neurodevelopmental disorder, especially undiagnosed as an adult, can be challenging. One Twitter user commented on McElhenney's post: "I was diagnosed at 54… Decades of wasted energy. So much pain and shame for so very long."<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">—Medic! (@yourMomAtWork83) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1678902661716885504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2023</a></blockquote><h2>More adults are getting diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders</h2>While many people still think of ADHD as a disorder in children, that isn't the case. <a href="https://www.insider.com/parenting-a-child-with-adhd-helped-me-face-my-diagnosis-2023-1">Adult ADHD diagnoses are rising</a> in the United States at rates <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31675080/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">four times faster than ADHD</a> diagnoses in children.It's estimated that up to 5% of American adults, or 8 million people, <a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/adult-adhd-facts-statistics#:~:text=It%27s%20estimated%20that%20adult%20ADHD,are%20getting%20treatment%20for%20it.">have ADHD,</a> and there are likely still more adults that have neurodevelopmental disorders that <a href="https://www.insider.com/diagnosed-with-autism-as-an-adult-experience-2021-6">haven't been diagnosed yet</a>. A 2014 study estimated that only <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4195639/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1 in 5 adults with ADHD</a> has been diagnosed or receives treatment for ADHD. And studies show that <a href="https://www.insider.com/3-signs-autism-woman-who-was-undiagnosed-for-years-2022-12">autism is also under-diagnosed</a>, especially in women. A 2022 study found that <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35204992/">80% of women are misdiagnosed</a> with other conditions, like borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and anxiety. <h2>McElhenney says, "you're not alone"</h2>Diagnosing ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disorders in adults can be challenging — many adults have learned to hide or <a href="https://www.insider.com/woman-was-diagnosed-with-adhd-at-almost-50-2023-1">mask their symptoms</a> over the years, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/adhd/how-to-get-diagnosed-with-adhd#diagnosing-adults" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Healthline reported</a>.But getting a diagnosis can also be liberating. One author previously told Insider that <a href="https://www.insider.com/adhd-diagnosis-helped-me-understand-my-messy-house-2022-5">living with ADHD</a> prior to a diagnosis left her "with a constant undercurrent of shame," but when she was diagnosed with ADHD, "suddenly everything made sense." As for McElhenney, he was sure to remind fans that "you're not alone. You're not stupid. You're not 'bad.' It might feel that way sometimes. But it's not true :)."

Rob McElhenney was diagnosed with 'neurodevelopmental disorders,' at 46. He's part of a growing trend of adults diagnosed with conditions like ADHD and autism later in life.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image on-image"><img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/52739de1eab8ea2b685941a2-900-675/math-20.jpg?maxX=480" border="0" alt="kid math chalkboard" width="480" />REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko</div></div>Contrary to popular opinion, a natural ability in <keyword id="6357038" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Math">math</keyword> will only get you so far in studies of the subject.
Research published in Child Development found that hard work and good study habits were the most important factor in improving math ability over time.
But bad attitudes about math are holding us back. Most of us would never think that "I'm bad at reading," is a good excuse to stop taking English classes, so why is it ok, even normal, to say "I'm bad at math"?
A survey in 2010 conducted by <a href="http://changetheequation.org/press/new-survey-americans-say-%E2%80%9Cwe%E2%80%99re-not-good-math%E2%80%9D">Change the Equation</a> found that three out of 10 Americans said they consider themselves bad at math. Over half of the 18 to 34-year-old bracket find themselves regularly saying they can't do math. Almost one-third of Americans reported they would rather clean a bathroom than solve a math problem.
And this math anxiety is a real problem: A <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0048076">study published in PLoS One</a> in 2012 found that anticipation of doing math can actually affect the same regions of the brain that pain does. Essentially, math is painful.
Our attitude about math matters more than we think
Generally, people believe their learning ability works in one of two ways, according to research conducted by <a href="http://docs.lib.purdue.edu/dissertations/AAI9921102/">Patricia Linehan from Purdue University</a>. We classify our learning abilities in a given subject as "incremental orientation" - the belief that we can continually improve our ability by studying and practicing, or we think about our learning as an "entity orientation" - the belief that we can't get any better no matter how hard we try. One person can have different orientations for different subjects.
Entity orientation toward math - basically saying, "I'm not good at math and so I never will be" - is a dangerous thing. When someone with entity orientation about learning math gets a math problem wrong, they think it's just an indication of the poor math ability they were "born with," according to a study published in <a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191886909003833" target="_blank">Personality and Individual Differences</a> in 2010.
This can have a very negative impact on motivation. If we don't believe we can improve, we won't bother trying.
Research shows that hard work, not natural ability, is the most important factor
The study mapped the progress of math ability in 3,520 students for five years - from grade five until grade 10. Students' math ability was measured by their performance on the PALMA Mathematics Achievement Test. Questions included basic arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. The researchers also asked the students to answer questions about their study habits and interest in math.
In the early grades, a high IQ generally meant a high math score. But it turns out natural talent will only get you so far. How students study made a big impact on how much their math ability improved. Students who simply relied on memorization when studying, and didn't attempt to make deeper connections with other areas of math, didn't show much improvement over time.
The researchers also found that where a student's motivation came from made a difference in their improvement. Students who said they wanted to get better at math simply because they were interested in the subject ended up improving more than those who wanted to get better in the interest of good grades.
"While intelligence as assessed by IQ tests is important in the early stages of developing mathematical competence, motivation and study skills play a more important role in students' subsequent growth," Kou Murayama, the lead researcher on the study, said in a <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/12/121220080443.htm" target="_blank">press release</a>.
<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_left"><div class="image"><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5283fe39ecad04bf39dfc6be-756-651/screen%20shot%202013-11-13%20at%205.27.55%20pm.png" border="0" alt="math ability graph" width="480" />Child Development/Muruyama</div></div>
You can see the difference it made in the chart to the left. Students listed as high-growth believed they could get better at math the more they practiced and used in-depth study techniques. Students listed as low-growth were more likely to believe that math ability is something you're born with and it can't be improved, and they relied more on memorization when studying.
How can we change our attitude about math? 
Not only do we hear "I'm bad at math" from our peers, but we're bombarded with messages that it's OK to be bad at math. For instance, there are shirts made for young girls that check off shopping, music, and dancing as their best subjects, but deliberately <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/money/56698622-79/math-shirt-girls-stores.html.csp" target="_blank">leave the box next to math unchecked</a>. There are also shirts that say "Allergic to Algebra" and "4 out of 3 people are bad at math."
There are math-specific learning disabilities like <a href="http://www.ncld.org/types-learning-disabilities/dyscalculia/what-is-dyscalculia" target="_blank">dyscalculia</a> - sort of the math equivalent of dyslexia - but this kind of learning disability does not explain poor performance in math in the general population.
Psychologist Jonathan Wai said in a <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/finding-the-next-einstein/201203/why-is-it-socially-acceptable-be-bad-math" target="_blank">Psychology Today article</a> that until we stop thinking being bad at math is funny, it will continue to be socially acceptable.
Focusing on math as a skill, just like any other skill learned in school, could help increase our math literacy and encourage more young women and men to enter the field.

You Searched For "dyscalculia" and got 3 results

Why do we instantly recognise smaller quantities, but require counting for larger groups? Study explains

Ankush Banerjee

Rob McElhenney was diagnosed with 'neurodevelopmental disorders,' at 46. He's part of a growing trend of adults diagnosed with conditions like ADHD and autism later in life.

Kate Hull

'I'm Not A Math Person' Is No Longer A Valid Excuse

Kelly Dickerson