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Memory and comprehension of inferenc...

Bechtold, John Ivan.

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Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.

Record Type:	Electronic resources : Monograph/item
Title/Author:	Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic./
Author:	Bechtold, John Ivan.
Published:	Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, : 1990,
Description:	122 p.
Notes:	Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-11, Section: B, page: 5610.
Contained By:	Dissertation Abstracts International51-11B.
Subject:	Experimental psychology. -
Online resource:	http://pqdd.sinica.edu.tw/twdaoapp/servlet/advanced?query=9108396

Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.
Bechtold, John Ivan.

Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic. - Ann Arbor : ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, 1990 - 122 p.

Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-11, Section: B, page: 5610.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kansas State University, 1990.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the inference-making abilities of subjects of different language groups. Experiment 1 studied four language groups (English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic) and compared subjects' responses to test sentences based upon inferences drawn from S-complement verbs in sentences embedded in a variety of context paragraphs. Subjects were given a booklet of 16 paragraphs in their native language, each paragraph ending in a target sentence containing one of four categories of S-complement verbs (Nonfactives--believe, claim; Counterfactives--pretend, wish; If-verbs--cause, compel; and Negative Implicatives--avoid, wish). The target sentences had either the S-complement verb or the complement negated, sometimes both negated or neither negated (e.g., Bill did not avoid jumping across the crevasse). Subjects were to read the 16 paragraphs and take a memory test at the end containing test sentences of the affirmative sentential complement of the target sentence (e.g., Bill jumped across the crevasse). They were to judge the truth value of the complement on a five-point True-False scale, with "Indeterminate" being the middle value of the scale. Predictions were made according to an Inference Hypothesis based upon Harris (1974) who studied S-complement verbs and their sentential complements. Results showed a high consistency between the languages in judging S-complement verbs and in meeting the Inference Hypothesis predictions. Two anomalous findings relating to Nonfactive verbs and Counterfactive verbs were discussed at length. Experiment 2 followed up testing bilingual Spanish- and Arabic-speakers with the test materials in English. In spite of some consistencies, several factors lead to only tentative conclusions as to the abilities of bilinguals to comprehend S-complement verbs in another language. Given the degree of similarities found between the languages in these studies, further research is recommended to discover more cognitive universals among languages as well as further research in regard to inferential processing.Subjects--Topical Terms:

2144733
Experimental psychology.

Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.
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100 1 $a Bechtold, John Ivan. $3 3427606
245 1 0 $a Memory and comprehension of inferences in complex sentences: A comparison of English, Spanish, Chinese and Arabic.
260 1 $a Ann Arbor : $b ProQuest Dissertations & Theses, $c 1990
300 $a 122 p.
500 $a Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-11, Section: B, page: 5610.
502 $a Thesis (Ph.D.)--Kansas State University, 1990.
520 $a Two experiments were conducted to investigate the inference-making abilities of subjects of different language groups. Experiment 1 studied four language groups (English, Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic) and compared subjects' responses to test sentences based upon inferences drawn from S-complement verbs in sentences embedded in a variety of context paragraphs. Subjects were given a booklet of 16 paragraphs in their native language, each paragraph ending in a target sentence containing one of four categories of S-complement verbs (Nonfactives--believe, claim; Counterfactives--pretend, wish; If-verbs--cause, compel; and Negative Implicatives--avoid, wish). The target sentences had either the S-complement verb or the complement negated, sometimes both negated or neither negated (e.g., Bill did not avoid jumping across the crevasse). Subjects were to read the 16 paragraphs and take a memory test at the end containing test sentences of the affirmative sentential complement of the target sentence (e.g., Bill jumped across the crevasse). They were to judge the truth value of the complement on a five-point True-False scale, with "Indeterminate" being the middle value of the scale. Predictions were made according to an Inference Hypothesis based upon Harris (1974) who studied S-complement verbs and their sentential complements. Results showed a high consistency between the languages in judging S-complement verbs and in meeting the Inference Hypothesis predictions. Two anomalous findings relating to Nonfactive verbs and Counterfactive verbs were discussed at length. Experiment 2 followed up testing bilingual Spanish- and Arabic-speakers with the test materials in English. In spite of some consistencies, several factors lead to only tentative conclusions as to the abilities of bilinguals to comprehend S-complement verbs in another language. Given the degree of similarities found between the languages in these studies, further research is recommended to discover more cognitive universals among languages as well as further research in regard to inferential processing.
590 $a School code: 0100.
650 4 $a Experimental psychology. $3 2144733
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710 2 $a Kansas State University. $3 1017593
773 0 $t Dissertation Abstracts International $g 51-11B.
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792 $a 1990
793 $a English
856 4 0 $u http://pqdd.sinica.edu.tw/twdaoapp/servlet/advanced?query=9108396