Reasoning from inconsistency to consistency

Psychological Review
P N Johnson-LairdP Legrenzi

Abstract

This article presents a theory of how individuals reason from inconsistency to consistency. The theory is based on 3 main principles. First, individuals try to construct a single mental model of a possibility that satisfies a current set of propositions, and if the task is impossible, they infer that the set is inconsistent. Second, when an inconsistency arises from an incontrovertible fact, they retract any singularly dubious proposition or any proposition that is inconsistent with the fact; otherwise, they retract whichever proposition mismatches the fact. A mismatch can arise from a proposition that has only mental models that conflict with the fact or fail to represent it. Third, individuals use their causal knowledge-in the form of models of possibilities-to create explanations of what led to the inconsistency. A computer program implements the theory, and experimental results support each of its principles.

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Citations

Jun 21, 2007·Palliative & Supportive Care·Steven D PassikKenneth L Kirsh
Oct 20, 2010·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Philip N Johnson-Laird
Aug 9, 2011·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Sangeet S Khemlani, Philip N Johnson-Laird
Jun 20, 2007·Psychological Science·Vittorio GirottoMichel Gonzalez
Jun 3, 2009·Memory & Cognition·Clare R Walsh, P N Johnson-Laird
Jan 26, 2011·Memory & Cognition·Sangeet S KhemlaniDaniel M Oppenheimer
Mar 8, 2012·Memory & Cognition·P N Johnson-LairdRuth M J Byrne
Mar 1, 2012·Acta Psychologica·Sangeet S Khemlani, P N Johnson-Laird
Dec 14, 2011·Cognition·Csongor JuhosP N Johnson-Laird
Apr 21, 2011·Acta Psychologica·Caren A Frosch, P N Johnson-Laird
Mar 24, 2005·Psychological Review·Geoffrey P Goodwin, P N Johnson-Laird
Mar 14, 2016·Brain and Cognition·Marco RagniMarkus Knauff
Nov 4, 2015·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience·Richard PattersonAron K Barbey
Mar 22, 2015·Acta Psychologica·Jelica NejasmicMarkus Knauff
Jan 1, 2010·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Phil Johnson-Laird
Mar 30, 2016·Behavioral Sciences & the Law·Peter F Molinaro, Lindsay C Malloy
Nov 5, 2014·Cognitive Science·Sangeet S KhemlaniPhilip N Johnson-Laird
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Apr 21, 2012·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Travis ProulxEddie Harmon-Jones
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
Jul 9, 2016·Child Development·Caren M WalkerAlison Gopnik
Apr 4, 2017·Cognitive Science·Ana Cristina QuelhasPhilip N Johnson-Laird
Mar 10, 2017·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Jeffrey C ZemlaDavid A Lagnado
Jul 4, 2018·Cognitive Science·Sangeet S KhemlaniPhilip N Johnson-Laird
Jul 13, 2018·Cognitive Science·Ana Cristina QuelhasP N Johnson-Laird
Oct 31, 2018·Topics in Cognitive Science·Meadhbh I Foster, Mark T Keane
Aug 20, 2020·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Laura Jane KellyP N Johnson-Laird
Sep 25, 2020·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Sangeet Khemlani, P N Johnson-Laird
Apr 27, 2019·Frontiers in Psychology·Juan LiuMei Li
Oct 7, 2020·Physiological Measurement·Charalabos PapageorgiouGeorge Kosteletos
Jun 27, 2021·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·Miguel López-AstorgaP N Johnson-Laird
Jul 16, 2021·Perspectives on Psychological Science : a Journal of the Association for Psychological Science·Cédric BataillerBertram Gawronski
Sep 25, 2021·Memory & Cognition·Lupita Estefania Gazzo Castañeda, Markus Knauff
Dec 17, 2021·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review·P N Johnson-LairdSangeet S Khemlani

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