title: Context and the activation of predictive inferences.
abstract: Previous research has demonstrated that the activation of predictive inferences can be affected both by the immediately preceding context and by the information contained in an earlier portion of a passage. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the same immediate context can result in the activation of different inferences when different character trait descriptions of the protagonist were presented earlier in the passage. Experiment 2 demonstrated that the trait descriptions produced activation of a specific inference; this occurred even though the immediately preceding context, in isolation, led to the activation of a different inference. The results of both experiments offer further support for the view that inference activation occurs as a result of the combined influence of the immediate context and the earlier portions of a text.
authors.affiliation: University of Paris 8, Saint-Denis, France. sabine.gueraud@univ-paris8.fr
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guéraud
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tapiero
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D001244:Association; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D033262:Narration; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011584:Psychology / Q000379:methods*; D012660:Semantics; D013850:Thinking; D014796:Visual Perception