title: Co-reference and reasoning.
abstract: Co-reference occurs when two or more noun phrases refer to the same individual, as in the following inferential problem: Mark is kneeling by the fire or he is looking at the TV but not both. / Mark is kneeling by the fire. / Is he looking at the TV? In three experiments, we compared co-referential reasoning problems with problems referring to different individuals. Experiment 1 showed that co-reference improves accuracy. In Experiment 2, we replicated that finding and showed that co-reference speeds up both reading and inference. Experiment 3 showed that the effects of co-reference are greatest when the premises and the conclusion share co-referents. These effects led the participants to make illusory inferences--that is, to draw systematically invalid conclusions. The results are discussed in terms of the mental model theory of reasoning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cognitive and Linguistic Sciences, Brown University, Box 1978, Providence, RI 02912, USA. clare_walsh@brown.edu
authors.forename: Clare R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: P N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Johnson-Laird
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D032882:Comprehension; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D011337:Probability Learning; D011578:Psycholinguistics; D011930:Reaction Time; D011932:Reading; D012660:Semantics; D012718:Set, Psychology