Mental Logic Theory

Paper Summary:

This paper compares the mental logic theory and the mental model theory, in terms of the way that human beings reason. The paper presents an experiment that asks three similar questions of the participants with a slight word change in each of the three questions. The paper attempts to discern from the participant's answers to these three questions if the results favor the mental logic theory or the mental model theory in regards to human beings and the way they reason.

From the Paper:

"Our studies show however, that the inferences the participants drew followed a logical sequence. If, as we purport, they do follow a logical sequence then that would lend more credence to the findings that the Mental Logic theory espouses as compared to the Mental Model theory.
"Schroyens purports that his study shows that both theories adhere to the same processing scheme, and that both theories are equivocal. If his study presents the truth, then we must search out the theory's differences, dissect these differences and discern whether the differences are so great that one of the two theories is more palatable than the other."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bonatti, L., (1994), Propositional Reasoning by Model?, Psychological Review, 101 (4), 725-733
• Bonnefon, JF., (2004), Reinstatement, Floating Conclusions, and the Credulity of Mental Model Reasoning, Cognitive Science, 28 (4), 621 - 631
• Johnson-Laird, PN., Byrne, RMJ, (2002), Conditionals: A Theory of Meaning, Pragmatics and Inferences, Psychological Review, 109 (4), 646 - 678
• Larson, R., Hansen, D., (2005), The Development of Strategic Thinking: Learning to Impact Human Systems in a Youth Activism Program, Human Development, 48 (6), 327
• Lowe, EJ., (2000), An Introduction to the Philosophy of Mind, Cambridge, Cambridge Press

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