Learning from Texts: Activation of Information from Previous Texts during Reading

Learning often involves integration of information from multiple texts. The aim of the current study was to determine whether relevant information from previously read texts is spontaneously activated during reading, allowing for integration between texts (experiment 1 and 2), and whether this process is related to the representation of the texts (experiment 2). In both experiments, texts with inconsistent target sentences were preceded by texts that either did or did not contain explanations that resolved the inconsistencies. In experiment 1, the reading times of the target sentences introducing inconsistencies were faster if the preceding text contained an explanation for the inconsistency than if it did not. This result demonstrates that relevant information from a prior text is spontaneously activated when the target sentence is read. In experiment 2 free recall was used to gain insight into the representation after reading. The reading time results for experiment 2 replicated the reading time results for experiment 1. However, the effects on reading times did not translate to measurable differences in text representations after reading. This research extends our knowledge about the processes involved in multiple text comprehension: Prior text information is spontaneously activated during reading, thereby enabling integration between different texts

Understanding How Headings Influence Text Processing

Titles and headings are commonly used signaling devices in expository texts. Researchers in cognitive and educational psychology have demonstrated several important effects of headings and titles on text processing: headings improve memory for text organization; headings influence text comprehension by activating readers’ prior knowledge; and titles can bias text comprehension by their emphasis on a particular text topic. However, the lack of precise linguistic analyses of titles/headings has limited both the scope of empirical research and the precision of conclusions. We present a theory of signaling devices that provides a detailed analysis of variation in titles and headings and generates predictions concerning their effects. We discuss the implications of our analyses for research on titles and headings and summarize recent research findings that illustrate the validity of a central component of our analyses. Finally, we propose some future research directions integrating insights from linguistics for the study of how headings and titles affect text processing.Les titres et intertitres sont des dispositifs de signalisation fréquemment utilisés dans les textes expositifs. De nombreuses recherches réalisées en psychologie cognitive et psychologie des apprentissages ont mis en évidence leurs effets sur le traitement du texte par le lecteur : les intertitres améliorent la représentation mnésique de l’organisation du texte et influencent la compréhension du texte par un mécanisme d’activation des connaissances antérieures du lecteur. Les titres généraux, lorsqu’ils mettent en avant un des thèmes du texte, biaisent la compréhension du texte. Cependant, l’absence d’analyse linguistique approfondie des titres et intertitres a limité la portée de ces travaux et a mené à des conclusions méritant d’être affinées. Nous présentons une théorie générale de la signalisation des textes qui propose un cadre d’analyse détaillé de la variabilité des titres et intertitres et génère des prédictions quant à leurs effets. Nous discutons les implications de ce cadre pour la recherche sur les titres et intertitres. Nous résumons des résultats récents qui illustrent la validité d’une composante centrale de nos analyses. Enfin, nous proposons des perspectives de recherche intégrant des résultats de travaux en linguistique pour l’étude des effets des titres et intertitres sur le traitement cognitif du texte

Psicología educativa : revista de los psicólogos de la educación

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónTítulo, resumen y palabras clave en inglés y españolSe compararon los efectos que sobre el procesamiento de textos ejercen los títulos y oraciones previas. En el experimento 1, estudiantes universitarios leyeron un texto con el objeto de comprenderlo y a los que se les evaluó mediante dos pruebas de memoria, una centrada sobre los subtópicos y otra sobre hechos aislados descritos en el texto. La prueba de memoria sobre los subtemas fue superior para la versión del texto con títulos; sin embargo, no hubo diferencias en la prueba de memoria sobre hechos. En el experimento 2, los participantes leyeron un texto con el objeto de dar una visión general sobre su contenido. La versión del texto señalizado sobre la estructura del texto fue mejor que la no señalizada, pero no se detectaron diferencias entre las oraciones previas y los títulos. Los resultados muestran que la función de las oraciones previas son similares a los títulos en tareas que enfatizan la relevancia de la información de la estructura del tema, pero no elicitan la atención de los lectores hacia la información del tópico como lo hacen fácilmente los títulos.ES

The Relation of Story Structure Properties to Recall of Television Stories in Young Children with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Nonreferred Peers

In this study, the authors examined memory for televised stories to gain insight into similarities and differences in story comprehension between young children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and their typical peers. In particular, the authors investigated the extent to which 4- to 6-year-old children\u27s free recall of story events is predicted by several structural properties of story events (number of causal connections, whether an event is on or off the story\u27s causal chain, story-grammar category, and position in the story\u27s hierarchical structure), whether differences exist between children with ADHD and nonreferred comparison children in their sensitivity to structural features of stories, and whether age differences in sensitivity to structural features are similar for both groups. For both groups, recall of story events was predicted by all four structural properties, but the effects of the two causal properties was stronger for comparison children than for children with ADHD. Further examination revealed that this difference was observed only when a competing activity was available during television viewing. These findings indicate that both groups of preschool children are able to benefit from causal structure when recalling television stories, but that children with ADHD lose this benefit when attention is divided. Consistent with previous findings for nonreferred children (P. W. van den Broek, E. P. Lorch, & R. Thurlow, 1996), in both diagnostic groups the effects of causal properties increased across age, and older children were more likely to include causally important protagonists\u27\u27 goals in their recalls than younger children

Multidisciplinary Perspectives on Signalling Text Organisation

Coordination éditoriale du numéro : Shirley Carter-Thomas & Frédéric Landragi

Notes for genera – Ascomycota

Knowledge of the relationships and thus the classification of fungi, has developed rapidly with increasingly widespread use of molecular techniques, over the past 10--15 years, and continues to accelerate. Several genera have been found to be polyphyletic, and their generic concepts have subsequently been emended. New names have thus been introduced for species which are phylogenetically distinct from the type species of particular genera. The ending of the separate naming of morphs of the same species in 2011, has also caused changes in fungal generic names. In order to facilitate access to all important changes, it was desirable to compile these in a single document. The present article provides a list of generic names of Ascomycota (approximately 6500 accepted names published to the end of 2016), including those which are lichen-forming. Notes and summaries of the changes since the last edition of `Ainsworth Bisby's Dictionary of the Fungi' in 2008 are provided. The notes include the number of accepted species, classification, type species (with location of the type material), culture availability, life-styles, distribution, and selected publications that have appeared since 2008. This work is intended to provide the foundation for updating the ascomycete component of the ``Without prejudice list of generic names of Fungi'' published in 2013, which will be developed into a list of protected generic names. This will be subjected to the XIXth International Botanical Congress in Shenzhen in July 2017 agreeing to a modification in the rules relating to protected lists, and scrutiny by procedures determined by the Nomenclature Committee for Fungi (NCF). The previously invalidly published generic names Barriopsis, Collophora (as Collophorina), Cryomyces, Dematiopleospora, Heterospora (as Heterosporicola), Lithophila, Palmomyces (as Palmaria) and Saxomyces are validated, as are two previously invalid family names, Bartaliniaceae and Wiesneriomycetaceae. Four species of Lalaria, which were invalidly published are transferred to Taphrina and validated as new combinations. Catenomycopsis Tibell Constant. is reduced under Chaenothecopsis Vain., while Dichomera Cooke is reduced under Botryosphaeria Ces. De Not. (Art. 59)