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Harry Potter and the sorcerer's scope: latent scope biases in explanatory reasoning.
- Source :
- Memory & Cognition; Apr2011, Vol. 39 Issue 3, p527-535, 9p
- Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- What makes a good explanation? We examine the function of latent scope, i.e., the number of unobserved phenomena that an explanation can account for. We show that individuals prefer narrow latent scope explanations-those that account for fewer unobserved effects-to broader explanations. In Experiments 1a-d, participants found narrow latent scope explanations to be both more satisfying and more likely. In Experiment 2 we directly manipulated base rate information and again found a preference for narrow latent scope explanations. Participants in Experiment 3 evaluated more natural explanations of unexpected observations, and again displayed a bias for narrow latent scope explanations. We conclude by considering what this novel bias tells us about how humans evaluate explanations and engage in causal reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0090502X
- Volume :
- 39
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Memory & Cognition
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 64881384
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-010-0028-1