Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content.

Psychology

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https://doi.org/10.1080/713755713
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Keywords

Cheng, P.W., & Holyoak, K.J. (1985). Pragmatic reasoning schemas. Cognitive Psychology, 17, 391± 416. Clark, H.H. (1973). The language-as-® xed-effect fallacy, A critique of language statistics in psychological research. J ourna l of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 12, 335± 359. Cummins, D.D. (1995). Naive theories and causal deduction. Memory and Cognition, 23, 646± 658. Cummins, D.D., Lubart, T., Alksnis, O., & Rist, R. (1991). Conditional reasoning and causation. Memory and Cognition, 19, 274± 282. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1972). Interpretation and matching bias in a reasoning task. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 24, 193± 199. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1977). Linguistic factors in reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 29A, 297± 306. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1983). Linguistic determinants of bias in conditional reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 35A, 635± 644. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1989). Bias in human reasoning, Causes and consequences. Hove, UK, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1993). On rules, models and understanding. Beha vioral and Brain Sciences, 16, 345± 346. Evans, J.St.B.T., & Lynch, J.S. (1973). Matching bias in the selection task. British J ournal of Psychology, 64, 391± 397. Evans, & Newstead, S.E. (1977). Language and reasoning, A study of temporal factors. Cognition, 5, 265± 283. Evans, Newstead, S.E., & Byrne, R.M.J. (1993). Human reasoning, The psychology of deduction. Hove, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Fillenbaum, S. (1974). Or, Some uses. J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 103( 5), 913± 921. Fillenbaum, S. (1975). If, Some uses. Psychological Research, 37, 245± 260. Fillenbaum, S. (1976). Inducements, On the phrasing and logic of conditional promises, threats and warnings. Psychological Research, 38, 231± 250. Girotto, V., Mazzocco, A., & Cherubini, P. (1992). Judgements of deontic relevance in reasoning, A reply to Jackson and Griggs. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 45A, 547± 574. Johnson-Laird, P.N. (1983). Menta l models, Towards a cognitive science of language, inference and consciousness. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Johnson-Laird, P.N., R.M.J. (1991). Deduction. Hove, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Johnson-Laird, Byrne, R.M.J., & Schaeken, W. (1992). Propositional reasoning by model. Psychological Review, 99, 418± 439. Johnson-Laird, & Tagart, J. (1969). How implication is under stood. American J ournal of Psychology, 82, 367± 373. Legrenzi, P., Girotto, & Johnson-Laird, P.N. (1993). Focussing in reasoning and decision making. Cognition, 49, 37± 66. Marcus, S.L., & Rips, L.J. (1979). Conditional reasoning. J ourna l of Verbal Lea rning and Verbal Behaviour, 18, 199± 223. Markovits, H. (1986). Familiarity effects in conditional reasoning. Journal of Educa tiona l Psychology, 78( 6), 492± 494. Newstead, & Griggs, R.A. (1983). The language and thought of disjunction. In J.St.B.T. Evans (Ed.), Thinking and reasoning, Psychological approaches. London, Routledge & Kegan Paul. Newstead, Griggs, R.A., & Chrostowski, J.J. (1984). Reasoning with realistic disjunctives. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 36A, 611± 627. Ormerod, T.C. (1988). Cognitive processes in programming. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Sunderland. Ormerod, T.C., Manktelow, K.I., & Jones, G.V. (1993). Reasoning with three types of conditional, Biases and mental models. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 46A( 4), 653± 677. Shepherd, & Ormerod, T.C. (1992). Development of a formal method of user requirements speci® cation for process plant displays. Report. Loughborough University. Wason, P.C. (1966). Reasoning. In B.M. Foss (Ed.), New horizons in psychology, Vol 1. Harmondsworth, Penguin. Wason, P.C., P.N. (1972). Psychology of reasoning. London, Batsford.

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Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content. / Richardson, Juliet; Ormerod, Thomas C.
In: Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology, Vol. 50 A, No. 2, 05.1997, p. 358-385.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review

Harvard

Richardson, J & Ormerod, TC 1997, 'Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content.', Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology, vol. 50 A, no. 2, pp. 358-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/713755713

APA

Richardson, J., & Ormerod, T. C. (1997). Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology, 50 A(2), 358-385. https://doi.org/10.1080/713755713

Vancouver

Richardson J, Ormerod TC. Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology. 1997 May;50 A(2):358-385. doi: 10.1080/713755713

Author

Richardson, Juliet ; Ormerod, Thomas C. / Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content. In: Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology. 1997 ; Vol. 50 A, No. 2. pp. 358-385.

Bibtex

@article{636613684d424e6db35a3ad1830a7368,

title = "Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content.",

abstract = "Two experiments are reported that investigate whether the logical equivalence of conditionals and disjunctives is paralleled by a psychological equivalence. In these experiments, subjects rephrased from one form into the other. Experiment 1 demonstrated strong effects of familiarity and causality of rule content. Similar {\textregistered} ndings were found in Experiment 2 with a different conditional rule syntax. An account of the experiments is given in terms of mental models theory: In this account, task performance can be seen to depend upon the extent to which the model sets used by subjects to generate rephrasings are complete, task content being the most important factor affecting model set completion. A ``Minimal Completion{\textquoteright}{\textquoteright} strategy is proposed to operate in the absence of thematic content. The experiments also falsify the long-held assumption that conditionals with negative antecedents are always interpreted as their disjunctive equivalents. This raises doubts about the mental models explanation for matching bias in conditional reasoning.",

keywords = "Cheng, P.W., & Holyoak, K.J. (1985). Pragmatic reasoning schemas. Cognitive Psychology, 17, 391± 416. Clark, H.H. (1973). The language-as-{\textregistered} xed-effect fallacy, A critique of language statistics in psychological research. J ourna l of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 12, 335± 359. Cummins, D.D. (1995). Naive theories and causal deduction. Memory and Cognition, 23, 646± 658. Cummins, D.D., Lubart, T., Alksnis, O., & Rist, R. (1991). Conditional reasoning and causation. Memory and Cognition, 19, 274± 282. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1972). Interpretation and matching bias in a reasoning task. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 24, 193± 199. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1977). Linguistic factors in reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 29A, 297± 306. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1983). Linguistic determinants of bias in conditional reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 35A, 635± 644. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1989). Bias in human reasoning, Causes and consequences. Hove, UK, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Evans, J.St.B.T. (1993). On rules, models and understanding. Beha vioral and Brain Sciences, 16, 345± 346. Evans, J.St.B.T., & Lynch, J.S. (1973). Matching bias in the selection task. British J ournal of Psychology, 64, 391± 397. Evans, & Newstead, S.E. (1977). Language and reasoning, A study of temporal factors. Cognition, 5, 265± 283. Evans, Newstead, S.E., & Byrne, R.M.J. (1993). Human reasoning, The psychology of deduction. Hove, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Fillenbaum, S. (1974). Or, Some uses. J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 103( 5), 913± 921. Fillenbaum, S. (1975). If, Some uses. Psychological Research, 37, 245± 260. Fillenbaum, S. (1976). Inducements, On the phrasing and logic of conditional promises, threats and warnings. Psychological Research, 38, 231± 250. Girotto, V., Mazzocco, A., & Cherubini, P. (1992). Judgements of deontic relevance in reasoning, A reply to Jackson and Griggs. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology, 45A, 547± 574. Johnson-Laird, P.N. (1983). Menta l models, Towards a cognitive science of language, inference and consciousness. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Johnson-Laird, P.N., R.M.J. (1991). Deduction. Hove, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Johnson-Laird, Byrne, R.M.J., & Schaeken, W. (1992). Propositional reasoning by model. Psychological Review, 99, 418± 439. Johnson-Laird, & Tagart, J. (1969). How implication is under stood. American J ournal of Psychology, 82, 367± 373. Legrenzi, P., Girotto, & Johnson-Laird, P.N. (1993). Focussing in reasoning and decision making. Cognition, 49, 37± 66. Marcus, S.L., & Rips, L.J. (1979). Conditional reasoning. J ourna l of Verbal Lea rning and Verbal Behaviour, 18, 199± 223. Markovits, H. (1986). Familiarity effects in conditional reasoning. Journal of Educa tiona l Psychology, 78( 6), 492± 494. Newstead, & Griggs, R.A. (1983). The language and thought of disjunction. In J.St.B.T. Evans (Ed.), Thinking and reasoning, Psychological approaches. London, Routledge & Kegan Paul. Newstead, Griggs, R.A., & Chrostowski, J.J. (1984). Reasoning with realistic disjunctives. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 36A, 611± 627. Ormerod, T.C. (1988). Cognitive processes in programming. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, Sunderland. Ormerod, T.C., Manktelow, K.I., & Jones, G.V. (1993). Reasoning with three types of conditional, Biases and mental models. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology, 46A( 4), 653± 677. Shepherd, & Ormerod, T.C. (1992). Development of a formal method of user requirements speci{\textregistered} cation for process plant displays. Report. Loughborough University. Wason, P.C. (1966). Reasoning. In B.M. Foss (Ed.), New horizons in psychology, Vol 1. Harmondsworth, Penguin. Wason, P.C., P.N. (1972). Psychology of reasoning. London, Batsford.",

author = "Juliet Richardson and Ormerod, {Thomas C.}",

year = "1997",

month = may,

doi = "10.1080/713755713",

language = "English",

volume = "50 A",

pages = "358--385",

journal = "Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology",

issn = "0272-4987",

publisher = "Psychology Press Ltd",

number = "2",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Rephrasing between Disjunctives and Conditionals: Mental Models and the Effects of Thematic Content.

AU - Richardson, Juliet

AU - Ormerod, Thomas C.

PY - 1997/5

Y1 - 1997/5

N2 - Two experiments are reported that investigate whether the logical equivalence of conditionals and disjunctives is paralleled by a psychological equivalence. In these experiments, subjects rephrased from one form into the other. Experiment 1 demonstrated strong effects of familiarity and causality of rule content. Similar ® ndings were found in Experiment 2 with a different conditional rule syntax. An account of the experiments is given in terms of mental models theory: In this account, task performance can be seen to depend upon the extent to which the model sets used by subjects to generate rephrasings are complete, task content being the most important factor affecting model set completion. A ``Minimal Completion’’ strategy is proposed to operate in the absence of thematic content. The experiments also falsify the long-held assumption that conditionals with negative antecedents are always interpreted as their disjunctive equivalents. This raises doubts about the mental models explanation for matching bias in conditional reasoning.

AB - Two experiments are reported that investigate whether the logical equivalence of conditionals and disjunctives is paralleled by a psychological equivalence. In these experiments, subjects rephrased from one form into the other. Experiment 1 demonstrated strong effects of familiarity and causality of rule content. Similar ® ndings were found in Experiment 2 with a different conditional rule syntax. An account of the experiments is given in terms of mental models theory: In this account, task performance can be seen to depend upon the extent to which the model sets used by subjects to generate rephrasings are complete, task content being the most important factor affecting model set completion. A ``Minimal Completion’’ strategy is proposed to operate in the absence of thematic content. The experiments also falsify the long-held assumption that conditionals with negative antecedents are always interpreted as their disjunctive equivalents. This raises doubts about the mental models explanation for matching bias in conditional reasoning.

KW - Cheng

KW - P.W.

KW - & Holyoak

KW - K.J. (1985). Pragmatic reasoning schemas. Cognitive Psychology

KW - 17

KW - 391± 416. Clark

KW - H.H. (1973). The language-as-® xed-effect fallacy

KW - A critique of language statistics in psychological research. J ourna l of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior

KW - 12

KW - 335± 359. Cummins

KW - D.D. (1995). Naive theories and causal deduction. Memory and Cognition

KW - 23

KW - 646± 658. Cummins

KW - D.D.

KW - Lubart

KW - T.

KW - Alksnis

KW - O.

KW - & Rist

KW - R. (1991). Conditional reasoning and causation. Memory and Cognition

KW - 19

KW - 274± 282. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T. (1972). Interpretation and matching bias in a reasoning task. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology

KW - 24

KW - 193± 199. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T. (1977). Linguistic factors in reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology

KW - 29A

KW - 297± 306. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T. (1983). Linguistic determinants of bias in conditional reasoning. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology

KW - 35A

KW - 635± 644. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T. (1989). Bias in human reasoning

KW - Causes and consequences. Hove

KW - UK

KW - Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T. (1993). On rules

KW - models and understanding. Beha vioral and Brain Sciences

KW - 16

KW - 345± 346. Evans

KW - J.St.B.T.

KW - & Lynch

KW - J.S. (1973). Matching bias in the selection task. British J ournal of Psychology

KW - 64

KW - 391± 397. Evans

KW - & Newstead

KW - S.E. (1977). Language and reasoning

KW - A study of temporal factors. Cognition

KW - 5

KW - 265± 283. Evans

KW - Newstead

KW - S.E.

KW - & Byrne

KW - R.M.J. (1993). Human reasoning

KW - The psychology of deduction. Hove

KW - Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Fillenbaum

KW - S. (1974). Or

KW - Some uses. J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology

KW - 103( 5)

KW - 913± 921. Fillenbaum

KW - S. (1975). If

KW - Some uses. Psychological Research

KW - 37

KW - 245± 260. Fillenbaum

KW - S. (1976). Inducements

KW - On the phrasing and logic of conditional promises

KW - threats and warnings. Psychological Research

KW - 38

KW - 231± 250. Girotto

KW - V.

KW - Mazzocco

KW - A.

KW - & Cherubini

KW - P. (1992). Judgements of deontic relevance in reasoning

KW - A reply to Jackson and Griggs. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimenta l Psychology

KW - 45A

KW - 547± 574. Johnson-Laird

KW - P.N. (1983). Menta l models

KW - Towards a cognitive science of language

KW - inference and consciousness. Cambridge

KW - Cambridge University Press. Johnson-Laird

KW - P.N.

KW - R.M.J. (1991). Deduction. Hove

KW - Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Ltd. Johnson-Laird

KW - Byrne

KW - R.M.J.

KW - & Schaeken

KW - W. (1992). Propositional reasoning by model. Psychological Review

KW - 99

KW - 418± 439. Johnson-Laird

KW - & Tagart

KW - J. (1969). How implication is under stood. American J ournal of Psychology

KW - 82

KW - 367± 373. Legrenzi

KW - P.

KW - Girotto

KW - & Johnson-Laird

KW - P.N. (1993). Focussing in reasoning and decision making. Cognition

KW - 49

KW - 37± 66. Marcus

KW - S.L.

KW - & Rips

KW - L.J. (1979). Conditional reasoning. J ourna l of Verbal Lea rning and Verbal Behaviour

KW - 18

KW - 199± 223. Markovits

KW - H. (1986). Familiarity effects in conditional reasoning. Journal of Educa tiona l Psychology

KW - 78( 6)

KW - 492± 494. Newstead

KW - & Griggs

KW - R.A. (1983). The language and thought of disjunction. In J.St.B.T. Evans (Ed.)

KW - Thinking and reasoning

KW - Psychological approaches. London

KW - Routledge & Kegan Paul. Newstead

KW - Griggs

KW - R.A.

KW - & Chrostowski

KW - J.J. (1984). Reasoning with realistic disjunctives. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology

KW - 36A

KW - 611± 627. Ormerod

KW - T.C. (1988). Cognitive processes in programming. Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis

KW - Sunderland. Ormerod

KW - T.C.

KW - Manktelow

KW - K.I.

KW - & Jones

KW - G.V. (1993). Reasoning with three types of conditional

KW - Biases and mental models. Qua rterly J ournal of Experimental Psychology

KW - 46A( 4)

KW - 653± 677. Shepherd

KW - & Ormerod

KW - T.C. (1992). Development of a formal method of user requirements speci® cation for process plant displays. Report. Loughborough University. Wason

KW - P.C. (1966). Reasoning. In B.M. Foss (Ed.)

KW - New horizons in psychology

KW - Vol 1. Harmondsworth

KW - Penguin. Wason

KW - P.C.

KW - P.N. (1972). Psychology of reasoning. London

KW - Batsford.

U2 - 10.1080/713755713

DO - 10.1080/713755713

M3 - Journal article

VL - 50 A

SP - 358

EP - 385

JO - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology

JF - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Series a Human Experimental Psychology

SN - 0272-4987

IS - 2

ER -

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Text available via DOI:

Keywords