Van den Broek, P., & Lorch, R. F. (1993). Network representations of causal relations in memory for narrative texts: Evidence from primed recognition. Discourse Processes, 16(1-2), 75-98.

Van den Broek, P.; Lorch, R.

1993

Van den Broek, P., & Lorch, R. F. (1993). Network representations of causal relations in memory for narrative texts: Evidence from primed recognition. Discourse Processes, 16(1-2), 75-98.

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Three experiments investigated how 206 adult readers represent causal relations among events in a narrative. Models of text comprehension were tested. In each experiment Ss read brief narratives and received a speeded-recognition test of their memories for story events. Each story could be represented by a linear chain or by a network. On each trial in the recognition procedure Ss read a priming sentence that reminded them of either a story (general prime) or a specific event in a story (specific prime). Across the experiments, positive responses were faster when the target followed a specific prime that was causally related than when it followed a specific but unrelated prime or a general prime. Importantly, this was the case when the specific prime and target were adjacent and when they were nonadjacent in the surface structure of the story.

In sum, responses to true target statements are quicker when they are preceded by causally related primes than when they are preceded by general primes. Furthermore, priming occurs both when the causally related prime and target are adjacent and when they are nonadjacent in the surface structure of the narrative.

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