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The Realization of Scalar Inferences: Context Sensitivity without Processing Cost
Politzer-Ahles, Stephen Fiorentino, Robert
Politzer-Ahles, Stephen
Fiorentino, Robert
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Abstract
Scalar inference is the phenomenon whereby the use of a less informative term (e.g., some of) is inferred to mean the negation of a more informative term (e.g., to mean not all of). Default processing accounts assume that the interpretation of some of as meaning not all of is realized easily and automatically (regardless of context), whereas context-driven processing accounts assume that it is realized effortfully and only in certain contexts. In the present study, participants’ self-paced reading times were recorded as they read vignettes in which the context did or did not bias the participants to make a scalar inference (to interpret some of as meaning not all of). The reading times suggested that the realization of the inference was influenced by the context, but did not provide evidence for processing cost at the time the inference is realized, contrary to the predictions of context-driven processing accounts. The results raise the question of why inferencing occurs only in certain contexts if it does not involve extra processing effort.
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A grant from the One-University Open Access Fund at the University of Kansas was used to defray the author’s publication fees in this Open Access journal. The Open Access Fund, administered by librarians from the KU, KU Law, and KUMC libraries, is made possible by contributions from the offices of KU Provost, KU Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and KUMC Vice Chancellor for Research. For more information about the Open Access Fund, please see http://library.kumc.edu/authors-fund.xml.
Date
2013-05-16
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Public Library of Science
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Politzer-Ahles, Stephen and Fiorentino, Robert. (2013) The Realization of Scalar Inferences: Context Sensitivity without Processing Cost. Plos One, 8.5: 1-6. http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0063943