Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Instruction and Belief Effects on Sentential Reasoning

  • Chapter
Book cover Toward Autonomous, Adaptive, and Context-Aware Multimodal Interfaces. Theoretical and Practical Issues

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 6456))

  • 1161 Accesses

Abstract

Research in humanreasoning has gathered increasing evidence that people tend to reason on the basis of contextualized representations, thus making conclusions compatible with previous knowledge and beliefs, regardless of the logical form of the arguments. This experiment aimed at investigating whether and to what extent sentential reasoning (i.e.reasoning based on compound sentences formed with connectives such as if/then, and, or) was sensitive to the phenomenon of belief effects, under different instruction sets. In a 3x2x2 mixed design (with the last variable as a within-subjects variable), connective sentence (conditional, conjunction and incompatible disjunction), instruction set (logical vs. pragmatic), and statement believability (high vs. low) were varied. Results showed that conjunctions were affected by both instruction set and statement believability, conditionals were affected only by statement believability, whereas no effect of experimental manipulation was found on incompatible disjunctions. Theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Gentzen, G.: Unstersuchungen über das logische Schliessen. Math. Zeitschrift 39, 176–210 (1935); Eng. Tr. Investigations into logical deduction. American Philosophical Quarterly, 1, 288-306 (1964)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Braine, M.D.S.: On the relation between the natural logic of reasoning and standard logic. Psychological Review 85, 1–21 (1978)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Braine, M.D.S., Reiser, B.J., Rumain, B.: Some empirical justification for a theory of natural prepositional logic. In: Bower, G.H. (ed.) The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and thinking, pp. 317–371. Academic Press, New York (1984)

    Google Scholar 

  4. Braine, M.D.S.: The natural logic approach to reasoning. In: Overton, W.F. (ed.) Reasoning, necessity, and logic: Developmental perspectives, pp. 133–157. Erlbaum, Hillsdale (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Braine, M.D.S., O’Brien, D.P.: A theory of if: A lexical entry, reasoning program, and pragmatic principles. Psychological Review 98, 182–203 (1991)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Osherson, D.N.: Models of logical thinking. In: Falmagne, R. (ed.) Reasoning: Representation and process in children and adults, pp. 81–91. Erlbaum, Hillsdale (1975)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Rips, L.J.: Cognitive processes in propositional reasoning. Psychological Review 90, 38–71 (1983)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rips, L.J.: The psychology of proof: Deductive reasoning and human thinking. MIT Press, Cambridge (1994)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  9. Johnson-Laird, P.N., Byrne, R.M.J., Schaeken, W.: Propositional reasoning by model. Psychological Review 99, 418–439 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Johnson-Laird, P.N.: Deductive reasoning. Annual Review of Psychology 50, 109–135 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Johnson-Laird, P.N., Byrne, R.M.J.: Conditionals: a theory of meaning, pragmatics, inference. Psychological Review 109, 646–678 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Byrne, R.M.J., Johnson-Laird, P.N.: “If” and the problem of conditional reasoning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 13, 282–287 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Johnson-Laird, P.: Deductive reasoning. WIREs Cognitive Science 1, 8–17 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. O’Brien, D.P., Braine, M.D.S., Yang, Y.: Propositional reasoning by mental models? Simple to refute in principle and in practice. Psychological Review 101, 711–724 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Braine, M.D.S., O’Brien, D.P., Noveck, I.A., Samuels, M.C., Lea, R.B., Fisch, S.M., Yang, Y.: Predicting intermediate and multiple conclusions in propositional logic inference problems: further evidence for a mental logic. Journal of Experimental Psychology 124A, 263–292 (1995)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Garcıa-Madruga, J.A., Moreno, S., Carriedo, N., Gutierrez, F., Johnson-Laird, P.N.: Are conjunctive inferences easier than disjunctive inferences? A comparison of rules and models. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 54A, 613–632 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Garcıa-Madruga, J.A., Gutierrez, F., Carriedo, N., Luzón, J.M., Vila, J.O.: Mental models in propositional reasoning and working memory’s central executive. Thinking & Reasoning 13, 370–393 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Van der Henst, J.B., Yang, Y., Johnson-Laird, P.N.: Strategies in sentential reasoning. Cognitive Science 26, 425–468 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Johnson-Laird, P.N., Hasson, U.: Counterexamples in sentential reasoning. Memory and Cognition 31, 1105–1113 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Fillenbaum, S.I.: Or: Some uses. Journal of Experimental Psychology 103, 913–921 (1974)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Evans, J.S.B.T., Newstead, S.E.: A study of disjunctive reasoning. Psychological Research 41, 373–388 (1980)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Noveck, I.A., Chierchia, G., Chevaux, F., Guelminger, R., Sylvestre, E.: Linguistic-pragmatic factors in interpreting disjunctions. Thinking & Reasoning 8, 297–326 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Newstead, S.E., Griggs, R.A., Chrostowski, J.J.: Reasoning with realistic disjunctives. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 36A, 611–627 (1984)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Paris, S.G.: Comprehension of language connectives and propositional logical relationships. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology 16, 278–291 (1973)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Fillenbaum, S.I.: On coping with ordered and unordered conjunctive sentences. Journal of Experimental Psychology 87, 93–98 (1971)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Carston, R.: Thoughts and utterances. Blackwell, Oxford (2002)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  27. Bott, L., Frisson, S., Murphy, G.L.: Interpreting conjunctions. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 62, 681–706 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Barrouillet, P., Grosset, N., Lecas, J.F.: Conditional reasoning by mental models: Chronometric and developmental evidence. Cognition 75, 237–266 (2000)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Rader, A.W., Sloutsky, V.S.: Processing of logically valid and logically invalid conditional inferences in discourse comprehension. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition 28, 59–68 (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  30. Rader, A.W., Sloutsky, V.S.: Conjunctive bias in memory representations of logical connectives. Memory & Cognition 29, 838–849 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Evans, J., Evans, J.S.B.T.: Logic and human reasoning: An assessment of the deduction paradigm. Psychological Bulletin 128, 978–996 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Politzer, G.: Reasoning with conditionals. Topoi 26, 79–95 (2007)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  33. Schroyens, W., Schaeken, W., Kristien Dieussaert, K.: The interpretation(s) of conditionals. Experimental Psychology 55, 173–181 (2008)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Stanovich, K.E.: Who is rational? Studies of individual differences in reasoning. Erlbaum, Mahwah (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Evans, J.S.B.T.: In two minds: Dual process accounts of reasoning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 7, 454–459 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Evans, J.S.B.T.: On the resolution of conflict in dual process theories of reasoning. Thinking & Reasoning 13, 321–339 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Evans, J.S.B.T.: In two minds: Dual processes and beyond. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Sloman, S.A.: The empirical case for two systems of reasoning. Psychological Bulletin 119, 3–22 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Sloman, S.A.: Two systems of reasoning. In: Gilovich, T., Griffin, D., Kahneman, D. (eds.) Heuristics and biases: The psychology of intuitive judgment, pp. 379–398. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (2002)

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  40. Stenning, K., van Lambalgen, M.: Explaining the domain-generality of human cognition. In: Roberts, M.J. (ed.) Integrating the mind, pp. 179–209. Psychology Press, London (2007)

    Google Scholar 

  41. Oaksford, M., Chater, N.: Précis of Bayesian rationality: The probabilistic approach to human reasoning. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 32, 69–84 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Jøsang, A.: A logic for uncertain probabilities. International Journal of Uncertainty, Fuzziness and Knowledge-Based Systems 9, 279–311 (2001)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  43. Jøsang, A.: Conditional reasoning with subjective logic. Journal of Multiple-Valued Logic and Soft Computing 15, 5–38 (2008)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  44. Oaksford, M., Chater, N.: Conditional probability and the cognitive science of conditional reasoning. Mind and Language 18, 359–379 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Oberauer, K., Wilhelm, O.: The meaning(s) of conditionals: Conditional probabilities, mental models and personal utilities. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition 29, 680–693 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  46. Liu, I.M., Lo, K.C., Wu, J.T.: A probabilistic interpretation of “If-Then”. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 49A, 828–844 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Evans, J.S.B.T., Handley, S.J., Over, D.E.: Conditionals and conditional probability. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition 29, 321–355 (2003)

    Google Scholar 

  48. Evans, J.S.B.T., Over, D.E.: If. Oxford University Press, Oxford (2004)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  49. Ramsey, F.P.: The foundations of mathematics and other logical essays. Routledge and Kegan Paul, London (1931)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  50. Evans, J.S.B.T., Barston, J.L., Pollard, P.: On the conflict between logic and belief in syllogistic reasoning. Memory & Cognition 11, 295–306 (1983)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Klauer, K.C., Musch, J., Naumer, B.: On belief bias in syllogistic reasoning. Psychological Review, 852–884 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  52. Evans, J., Evans, J.S.B.T., Handley, S.J., Neilens, H., Over, D.: The influence of cognitive ability and instructional set on causal conditional inference. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 63, 892–909 (2010)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Handley, S.J., Newstead, S.E., Trippas, D.: Logic, beliefs and instruction: A test of the default interventionist account of belief bias. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  54. Evans, J.S.B.T., Allen, J.L., Newstead, S.E., Pollard, P.: Debiasing by instruction: The case of belief bias. European Journal of Cognitive Psychology 6, 263–285 (1994)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  55. Hertwig, R., Ortmann, A., Gigerenzer, G.: Deductive competence: A desert devoid of content and context. Current Psychology of Cognition 16, 102–107 (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  56. Matarazzo, O., Baldassarre, I.: Probability and instruction effects in syllogistic conditional reasoning. International Journal of Social Sciences 3, 163–171 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  57. Malatesta, M.: An algorithm for deriving tautologies of logic of classes and relations from those of sentential calculus. Metalogicon, XIII 2, 89–123 (2000)

    MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  58. Palladino, D.: Corso di logica. Carocci, Roma (2002)

    Google Scholar 

  59. Peacocke, C.: Understanding logical constants: A realist’s account. Proceedings of the British Academy 73, 153–200 (1987)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Second University of Naples, Italy

    Olimpia Matarazzo & Ivana Baldassarre

Authors
  1. Olimpia Matarazzo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ivana Baldassarre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Advanced Scientific Studies, Second University of Naples, and IIASS, Via Pellegrino 19, 84019, Vietri sul Mare (SA), Italy

    Anna Esposito

  2. Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Osservatorio Vesuviano, Via Diocleziano 328, 80124, Napoli, Italy

    Antonietta M. Esposito

  3. Dipartemento di Ingegneria dell’ Informazione, Seconda Università di Napoli, Via Roma 29, 81031, Aversa (CE), Italy

    Raffaele Martone

  4. Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Anatolia College/ACT, Kennedy Street, 55510, Pylaia, Greece

    Vincent C. Müller

  5. Departmnet of Physics "E.R. Caoamoeööp", University of Salerno and IIASS, International Institute for Advanced Scientific Studies, 84081, Baronissi (SA), Italy

    Gaetano Scarpetta

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Matarazzo, O., Baldassarre, I. (2011). Instruction and Belief Effects on Sentential Reasoning. In: Esposito, A., Esposito, A.M., Martone, R., Müller, V.C., Scarpetta, G. (eds) Toward Autonomous, Adaptive, and Context-Aware Multimodal Interfaces. Theoretical and Practical Issues. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 6456. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18184-9_5

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18184-9_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-18183-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-18184-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation