Editing Numeracy (section)

{{Short description|Ability to apply numerical concepts}}
{{About|the ability to apply numerical concepts|the academic journal|Numeracy (journal)}}
{{Redirect|Innumeracy|the book|Innumeracy (book)}}
[[File:Math games - Big Brother Mouse activity day.jpg|thumb|Children in [[Laos]] have fun as they improve numeracy with "Number Bingo". They roll three dice, construct an equation from the numbers to produce a new number, then cover that number on the board, trying to get [[Connect Four|four in a row]].]]
[[File:Number bingo improves math skills LPB Laos.jpg|thumb|Number bingo improves math skills. LPB Laos.]]
'''Numeracy''' is the ability to understand, [[reason]] with, and apply simple numerical concepts; it is the numerical counterpart of [[literacy]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Brooks |first=M. |author2=Pui |title=Are individual differences in numeracy unique from general mental ability? A closer look at a common measure of numeracy. |journal=Individual Differences Research |year=2010 |volume=8 |series=4 |pages=257–265}}</ref> The charity [[National Numeracy]] states: "Numeracy means understanding how mathematics is used in the real world and being able to apply it to make the best possible decisions...It's as much about thinking and reasoning as about 'doing sums'". Basic numeracy skills consist of comprehending fundamental [[arithmetic]]al operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. For example, if one can understand simple mathematical equations such as 2 + 2 = 4, then one would be considered to possess at least basic numeric knowledge. Substantial aspects of numeracy also include [[number sense]], operation sense, computation, [[measurement]], [[geometry]], [[probability]] and [[statistics]].{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} A numerically [[literacy|literate]] person can manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life.<ref>{{cite web |author=Statistics Canada |title=Building on our Competencies: Canadian Results of the International Adult Literacy and Skills Survey |url=http://www.nald.ca/library/research/booc/booc.pdf |publisher=Statistics Canada |page=209 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927003001/http://www.nald.ca/library/research/booc/booc.pdf |archive-date=2011-09-27 }}</ref><ref name="PetersBook" />

By contrast, '''innumeracy''' (the lack of numeracy) can have a negative impact. Numeracy has an influence on healthy behaviors, financial literacy, and career decisions. Therefore, innumeracy may negatively affect economic choices, financial outcomes, health outcomes, and life satisfaction.<ref name=PetersBook>{{Cite book|last=Peters|first=Ellen|title= Innumeracy in the wild: Misunderstanding and misusing numbers |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2020}}</ref><ref name="Gerardi2012">{{cite journal|last1=Gerardi|first1=K.|last2=Goette|first2=L.|last3=Meier|first3=S.|year=2013|title=Numerical ability predicts mortgage default|journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences|volume=110|issue=28|pages=11267–11271|bibcode=2013PNAS..11011267G|doi=10.1073/pnas.1220568110|pmc=3710828|pmid=23798401|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="Banks2010">{{cite journal|last1=Banks|first1=J.|last2=O'Dea|first2=C.|last3=Oldfield|first3=Z.|year=2010|title=Cognitive Function, Numeracy and Retirement Saving Trajectories*|journal=The Economic Journal|volume=120|issue=548|pages=F381–F410|doi=10.1111/j.1468-0297.2010.02395.x|pmc=3249594|pmid=22228911}}</ref> It also may distort risk perception in health decisions.<ref name="Reyna2009" /> Greater numeracy has been associated with reduced susceptibility to [[Framing effect (psychology)|framing effects]], less influence of nonnumerical information such as mood states, and greater sensitivity to different levels of numerical risk.<ref name="Peters2012">{{cite journal |last1=Weller |first1=J.A. |last2=Dieckmann |first2=N.F. |last3=Tusler |first3=M. |last4=Mertz |first4=C.K. |last5=Burns |first5=W.J. |last6=Peters |first6=E. |doi=10.1002/bdm.1751 |title=Development and Testing of an Abbreviated Numeracy Scale: A Rasch Analysis Approach |journal=Journal of Behavioral Decision Making |volume=26 |issue=2 |pages=198–212 |year=2013 |pmid= 32313367|pmc= 7161838|citeseerx=10.1.1.678.6236}}</ref> [[Ellen Peters (professor)|Ellen Peters]] and her colleagues argue that  achieving the benefits of numeric literacy, however, may depend on one's numeric [[self-efficacy]] or confidence in one's skills.<ref name="peterstompkins">{{cite journal |last1=Peters |first1=E. |last2=Tompkins |first2=M.K. |last3=Knoll |first3=M. |last4=Ardoin |first4=S.P. |last5=Shoots-Reinhard |first5=B.  |last6=Meara |first6=A.S. |title=Despite high objective numeracy, lower numeric confidence relates to worse financial and medical outcomes |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=116 |issue=39 |pages=19386–19391 |year=2019|doi=10.1073/pnas.1903126116 |pmid=31501338 |pmc=6765274 |bibcode=2019PNAS..11619386P |doi-access=free }}</ref>