TY - JOUR

T1 - Belief-Logic Conflict Resolution in Syllogistic Reasoning: Inspection-Time Evidence for a Parallel-Process Model

AU - Stupple, Edward J. N.

AU - Ball, Linden J.

N1 - The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Thinking & Reasoning, 14 (2), 2008, © Informa Plc

PY - 2008/5

Y1 - 2008/5

N2 - An experiment is reported examining dual-process models of belief bias in syllogistic reasoning using a problem complexity manipulation and an inspection-time method to monitor processing latencies for premises and conclusions. Endorsement rates indicated increased belief-bias on complex problems, a finding that runs counter to the “belief-first” selective scrutiny model, but which is consistent with other theories, including “reasoning first” and “parallel-process” models. Inspection-time data revealed a number of effects that, again, arbitrated against the selective scrutiny model. The most striking inspection-time result was an interaction between logic and belief on premise processing times, whereby belief-logic conflict problems promoted increased latencies relative to non-conflict problems. This finding challenges belieffirst and reasoning-first models, but is directly predicted by parallel-process models, which assume that the outputs of simultaneous heuristic and analytic processing streams lead to an awareness of belief-logic conflicts than then require timeconsuming resolution.

AB - An experiment is reported examining dual-process models of belief bias in syllogistic reasoning using a problem complexity manipulation and an inspection-time method to monitor processing latencies for premises and conclusions. Endorsement rates indicated increased belief-bias on complex problems, a finding that runs counter to the “belief-first” selective scrutiny model, but which is consistent with other theories, including “reasoning first” and “parallel-process” models. Inspection-time data revealed a number of effects that, again, arbitrated against the selective scrutiny model. The most striking inspection-time result was an interaction between logic and belief on premise processing times, whereby belief-logic conflict problems promoted increased latencies relative to non-conflict problems. This finding challenges belieffirst and reasoning-first models, but is directly predicted by parallel-process models, which assume that the outputs of simultaneous heuristic and analytic processing streams lead to an awareness of belief-logic conflicts than then require timeconsuming resolution.

KW - Belief bias

KW - Dual process theories

KW - Syllogistic reasoning

KW - Inspection time analysis

KW - Parallel process models

U2 - 10.1080/13546780701739782

DO - 10.1080/13546780701739782

M3 - Journal article

VL - 14

SP - 168

EP - 181

JO - Thinking and Reasoning

JF - Thinking and Reasoning

SN - 1354-6783

IS - 2

ER -