Hidden conflicts: explanations make inconsistencies harder to detect

Acta Psychologica
Sangeet S Khemlani, P N Johnson-Laird

Abstract

A rational response to an inconsistent set of propositions is to revise it in a minimal way to restore consistency. A more important psychological goal is usually to create an explanation that resolves the inconsistency. We report five studies showing that once individuals have done so, they find inconsistencies harder to detect. Experiment 1 established the effect when participants explained inconsistencies, and Experiment 2 eliminated the possibility that the effect was a result of demand characteristics. Experiments 3a and 3b replicated the result, and showed that it did not occur in control groups that evaluated (or justified) which events in the pairs of assertions were more surprising. Experiment 4 replicated the previous findings, but the participants carried out all the conditions acting as their own controls. In all five studies, control conditions established that participants were able to detect comparable inconsistencies. Their explanations led them to re-interpret the generalizations as holding by default, and so they were less likely to treat the pairs of assertions as inconsistent. Explanations can accordingly undo the devastating consequences of logical inconsistencies, but at the cost of a subsequent failure to...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1995·Memory & Cognition·D D Cummins
Jul 1, 1994·Psychological Review·A C GraesserT Trabasso
Apr 1, 1997·New Directions for Child Development·H M WellmanC A Schult
Apr 28, 1999·Child Development·K Crowley, R S Siegler
Aug 20, 2003·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition·Patrick Shafto, John D Coley
Jul 15, 2004·Psychological Review·P N Johnson-LairdPaolo Legrenzi
Jun 9, 2005·Cognition·Tania Lombrozo, Susan Carey
Feb 8, 2006·Child Development·Bethany Rittle-Johnson
Sep 1, 2006·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Tania Lombrozo
Jun 3, 2009·Memory & Cognition·Clare R Walsh, P N Johnson-Laird
Jun 25, 2010·Child Development·Cristine H LegareHenry M Wellman
Jun 29, 2011·Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition·Katja MehlhornJosef F Krems
Aug 9, 2011·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Sangeet S Khemlani, Philip N Johnson-Laird
Jul 10, 2013·Behavior Research Methods·Jesse ChandlerGabriele Paolacci

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 25, 2015·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Isabel OrenesCarlos Santamaría
Jun 13, 2015·Cognition·Igor Douven, Jonah N Schupbach
Mar 17, 2015·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·P N Johnson-LairdGeoffrey P Goodwin
Nov 13, 2014·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Sangeet S KhemlaniPhilip N Johnson-Laird
Apr 2, 2016·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·José Antonio Ruiz-Ballesteros, Sergio Moreno-Ríos
Jul 4, 2018·Cognitive Science·Sangeet S KhemlaniPhilip N Johnson-Laird
Sep 25, 2020·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Sangeet Khemlani, P N Johnson-Laird
Aug 5, 2020·Acta Psychologica·Joanna Korman, Sangeet Khemlani
Jun 27, 2021·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Miguel López-AstorgaP N Johnson-Laird
Sep 25, 2021·Memory & Cognition·Lupita Estefania Gazzo Castañeda, Markus Knauff

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Birth Defects

Birth defects encompass structural and functional alterations that occur during embryonic or fetal development and are present since birth. The cause may be genetic, environmental or unknown and can result in physical and/or mental impairment. Here is the latest research on birth defects.

Related Papers

The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP
Sangeet S Khemlani, P N Johnson-Laird
Psychological Review
P N Johnson-LairdP Legrenzi
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Tania Lombrozo
Acta Psychologica
Caren A Frosch, P N Johnson-Laird
Memory & Cognition
Clare R Walsh, P N Johnson-Laird
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved