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The Importance of Pragmatic Aspects in Conditional Reasoning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 April 2014

Mª Dolores Valiña ,
Gloria Seoane ,
Mª José Ferraces  and
Montserrat Martín
Mª Dolores Valiña*
Affiliation:
University of Santiago de Compostela
Gloria Seoane
Affiliation:
University of Santiago de Compostela
Mª José Ferraces
Affiliation:
University of Santiago de Compostela
Montserrat Martín
Affiliation:
University of Santiago de Compostela
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Dr. Mª Dolores Valiña, Dto. de Psicología Social y Básica. Área de Básica. Facultad de Psicología.Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Campus Universitario Sur. 15706 Santiago de Compostela (Spain). FAX: 981 521581. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

The importance of pragmatic aspects in conditional reasoning was assessed in the performance of 54 subjects (26 female and 28 male; mean age 17.6 years) on 48 conditional inference problems, using a 3 × 2 × 4 design, with repeated measurements. The independent variables were probability of empirical frequency in the real world, type of conditional rule, and scenario availability. Number of correct responses and subjects' certainty about the correctness of their responses were the dependent variables. The results showed: a) the scenario availability is not sufficient in itself to explain differences in performance, but it does affect the subjects' degree of confidence in their conclusions; b) there is an interaction between probability of empirical frequency in the real world and type of conditional rule on correct performance. The results were contrasted with the predictions made by the mental models theory and its revised version proposed by Evans (1993). These findings support the semantic theories of conditional reasoning.

En este trabajo hemos estudiado la importancia de factores pragmáticos en razonamiento condicional, analizando la ejecución de 54 sujetos (26 mujeres - 28 hombres, cuya media de edad era de 17.6 años). Planteamos un diseño 3 × 2 × 4 de medidas repetidas en los tres factores. Las variables manipuladas fueron: la relación empírica existente en el mundo, el tipo de regla y la accesibilidad del escenario. Se utilizaron como variables dependientes el número de respuestas correctas y la seguridad de los sujetos en la corrección de sus juicios. Los resultados han puesto de manifiesto que: a) la accesibilidad del escenario no es en sí misma suficiente para explicar las diferencias en la ejecución, pero afecta al grado de seguridad de los sujetos en sus conclusiones; b) hay una interacción entre probabilidad de frecuencia empírica en el mundo real y el tipo de norma lógica sobre la ejecución correcta. Contrastamos los resultados con las predicciones de la teoría de modelos mentales y con la versión revisada (Evans, 1993). Los datos apoyan las teorías semánticas del razonamiento condicional.

Keywords

pragmatic reasoningconditional reasoningempirical relation between antecedent and consequentavailability of the scenariorazonamiento pragmáticorazonamiento condicionalrelación empírica entre antecedente y consecuenteaccesibilidad del escenario
Type
Articles
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 2 , May 1999 , pp. 20 - 31
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1999

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