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Inference-making in reasoning and reading comprehension
Abstract
The study described here applied knowledge about inference-making from the logical reasoning literature to the drawing of specific inferences from prose passages. It explored the different cognitive demands made by different inference types, the development over time of underlying structures that enable people to make certain kinds of inferences, and people's ability to reason from premises that may or may not be consistent with their prior knowledge. Fourth- and seventh-grade students of average or above reading ability and college undergraduates were presented with three prose passages, each containing six inferential questions based on premises expressed in the passages. Premise information in the passages was either consistent (true), inconsistent (false), or unrelated to subjects' prior knowledge (neutral). The premises and the questions following them were expressed in various logical forms, some identified (on the basis of previous research) as easy, and some as difficult. In order to answer the questions correctly, subjects were required to make specific types of logically necessary inferences, based on the form of statements in the passages. Effects were found for all three independent variables: age, argument type, and content (true, false, and neutral). A developmental trend in performance on inferential questions was observed between the fourth and seventh grades for easy arguments. No such trend was observed with difficult arguments, nor did age interact with content type. At all three grade levels, performance with easy arguments was significantly better than with difficult ones. Difficult arguments were most difficult with neutral content, less difficult with false content, and easiest with true content. Results also indicated that inferences were easiest with true content, harder with false content, and hardest with neutral content. This pattern was observed for both easy and difficult arguments, but the effects of content were more pronounced with difficult arguments. Results of the study indicate that both the form and the content of prose passages influence the inferences people make while reading, and demonstrate the usefulness of applying logical reasoning concepts to the study of reading comprehension.
Subject Area
Developmental psychology|Educational psychology|Literacy|Reading instruction
Recommended Citation
Franks, Bridget Ann, "Inference-making in reasoning and reading comprehension" (1988). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8918549.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8918549