Gastón Saux

Conflicting but close: Readers’ integration of information sources as a function of their disagreement

According to the documents model framework (Britt, Perfetti, Sandak, & Rouet, 1999), readers’ detection of contradictions within texts increases their integration of source–content links (i.e., who says what). This study examines whether conflict may also strengthen the relationship between the respective sources. In two experiments, participants read brief news reports containing two critical statements attributed to different sources. In half of the reports, the statements were consistent with each other, whereas in the other half they were discrepant. Participants were tested for source memory and source integration in an immediate item-recognition task (Experiment 1) and a cued recall task (Experiments 1 and 2). In both experiments, discrepancies increased readers’ memory for sources. We found that discrepant sources enhanced retrieval of the other source compared to consistent sources (using a delayed recall measure; Experiments 1 and 2). However, discrepant sources failed to prime the other source as evidenced in an online recognition measure (Experiment 1). We argue that discrepancies promoted the construction of links between sources, but that integration did not take place during reading.

Self-reported internet skills, previous knowledge and working memory in text comprehension in E-learning

We examined the contribution of Internet operational and navigation skills, previous knowledge, and working memory capacity to expository text comprehension as a lesson within an e-learning course. As different from previous studies in controlled settings; this study addressed students’ typical behavior in more ecological conditions. The first study tested self-reported Internet Skills Scale structure, reliability and concurrent validity, in a sample of 254 college students from a large Latin American public university. The second study addressed the contribution of self-reported Internet skills, previous domain knowledge, and working memory capacity to text comprehension in e-learning. Students (n = 125) read high or low previous knowledge expository science texts and answered questions about them, in an e-learning course specifically designed for research purposes, accessed remotely. They also completed working memory tests. Working memory and navigation were significantly associated with text comprehension: higher working memory, and lower scores in self-reported navigation behavior, led to better comprehension. These results have implications for instructional design and reading strategies interventions.

Readers’ Selective Recall of Source Features as a Function of Claim Discrepancy and Task Demands

ABSTRACT In two experiments, undergraduate students read short texts containing two embedded sources that could either agree or disagree with each other. Participants’ memory for the sources’ identity (i.e., occupation) and features (i.e., the source’s access to knowledge and the source’s physical appearance) was examined as a function of the consistency of their assertions. In Experiment 1 (n = 64), sources were described with only one feature (knowledge or appearance), whereas in Experiment 2 (n = 62), each source was described with both features. Experiment 1 additionally tested the influence of two different tasks during reading (an evaluation of sources’ knowledgeability vs. an evaluation of sources’ age). Consistent with our predictions, knowledge evaluations (Experiment 1) and discrepant claims (Experiments 1 and 2) enhanced memory for sources and their features. Experiment 2 also showed that when both types of features were available, discrepant claims selectively benefited memory for a source’s knowledgeability over appearance.

Uso estratégico de representaciones pictóricas en un texto de ciencias con un detalle seductor en lectores con bajo conocimiento previo

espanolLa Teoria Cognitiva de Aprendizaje Multimedia (Mayer, 2001, 2005) sostiene que el procesamiento conjunto de informacion linguistica y pictorica resulta en una representacion mental integrada del mensaje, y que la adicion de representaciones pictoricas puede tanto beneficiar como perjudicar el desempeno asociado a la lectura, dependiendo de la funcion que cumplan dichos agregados. Este estudio examino experimentalmente el efecto de asociar representaciones pictoricas con un texto expositivo en castellano (una poblacion sub-representada) que incluyo un dato biografico tangencial pero interesante (detalle seductor). Ciento cuarenta y siete participantes con bajo conocimiento previo leyeron el texto en una de tres versiones: no ilustrado (condicion Solo Detalle Verbal), con una imagen asociada al detalle seductor verbal (condicion Multimedia Seductora), o con un diagrama asociado al tema principal del material (condicion Multimedia Efectiva). Se registraron indicadores de titulacion, recuerdo y verificacion literal e inferencial de afirmaciones basadas en el texto. Los resultados mostraron que las condiciones multimedia se diferenciaron en sentidos opuestos respecto de la condicion de Solo Detalle Verbal. Mientras que la condicion Multimedia Seductora presento el peor desempeno general, la condicion Multimedia Efectiva mostro el mejor recuerdo de los contenidos textuales, aunque no se diferencio del grupo de Solo Detalle Verbal en la tarea de verificacion inferencial. Estos resultados son interpretados en el marco de la Teoria Cognitiva de Aprendizaje Multimedia EnglishThe Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (Mayer, 2001, 2005) argues that processing joint linguistic and pictorial information results in an integrated mental representation of the message, and that this can both benefit and lessen reading performance, depending on the function of such additions. This study examined the effect of including pictorial representations in an expository text in Spanish that included a tangential but interesting biographical fact (seductive detail). One hundred and forty seven low prior-knowledge participants read the text with the seductive verbal detail in one of three versions: non-illustrated (Verbal Detail Only condition), with an image linked to the verbal seductive detail (Seductive Multimedia condition), or with a diagram linked to the main topic of the text (Effective Multimedia condition). Participants’ answers to a title selection task, a free recall task, and a sentence verification task (literal and inferential sentences) were collected. Results showed that the multimedia conditions differed in opposite directions with respect to the Verbal Detail Only condition. Whereas the Seductive Multimedia condition showed the poorest performance, the Effective Multimedia condition showed the best performance in free recall, but did not differ from the Verbal Detail Only condition in the inferential verification task. These results are interpreted in accordance with the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

Influence of the affective valence of visual materials in recognition among healthy individuals and patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia

OBJECTIVE: To research into the influence of the affective valence of picture in visual recognition tests among healthy individuals and patients with mild Alzheimer’s Disease Dementia (ADD). BACKGROUND:Patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) present with impairments both at the structures associated with emotions, and in episodic memory. The involvement of the amygdala in patients with AD might imply emotional deficit in information processing. It has been reported that the impairment of patients with AD to perceive emotions might be lower than their deficit at the level of other cognitive functions, with a higher recalling of materials when the materials have emotional content. DESIGN/METHODS: Fifteen healthy individuals (age (mean±Standard Deviation) 73±8.48 years, education 13.2±3.9 years, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) 29.4±1.55), and 15 patients with ADD (age 75.47±7.61 years, education 10.8±4 years, MMSE 24.6±2.85), paired by age and education were included. Ten pictures with neutral valence and 10 pictures with negative valence were selected from the International Affective Picture System, paired by arousal level. Successful recognition of pictures and reaction time by picture valence were assessed by ANOVA test. RESULTS: A better performance was recorded both in terms of the number of successful recognition instances (F=1570;p=0.01) and of reaction time (F=285.40;p=0.01) in the control group compared to patients with ADD. Both groups evidenced a better recognition accuracy with negative-valence pictures than with neutral-valence pictures (F=4.66;p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: A better performance of the control group was noted both in terms of processing rate and of recognition accuracy. In both groups, the recognition accuracy was higher with negative-valence prompts. These findings suggest that the emotional content of the information facilitates recognition. Disclosure: Dr. Irrazabal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saux has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feldberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Somale has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rojas has nothing to disclose. Dr. DEMEY has nothing to disclose.

PREDICTORS OF CHANGE IN QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH FOCAL NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE FOLLOWING AN OUTPATIENT COGNITIVE REHABILITATION PROGRAM

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the independent predictors of Quality of Life (QoL) change in patients with Focal Neurological Damage (FND) following an Outpatient Cognitive Rehabilitation (OCR) program. BACKGROUND: Few studies have analyzed the clinical and cognitive features associated with better outcomes in patients following an OCR program. DESIGN/METHODS: 90 patients (33 female, age: (mean ± SD) 51.27±19.68 years; education 14.51±3.37 years; Mini-Mental State Examination initial score 26.16±3.44) with cognitive impairment secondary to FND (60 cases with history of stroke, 22 cases of traumatic brain injury, 8 cases of other FND etiologies) were included. The subjects completed cognitive-behavioral, functional and social scales at baseline and treatment end. Efficacy, as measured by changes in the World Health Organization Quality of Life Brief Evaluation Instrument (WHOQOL-BREF), was evaluated by dividing the sample into 3 groups: benefit (difference >5 %), stability (difference between 5% and -5%), and worsening (difference >-5%). Categorical and quantitative predictors at baseline were analyzed prospectively. RESULTS: Based on the changes in the WHOQOL-BREF scale, 29 patients (32.2%) showed benefit, 45 (50%) showed stability, and 16 (17.8%) worsened after the OCR program. The predictors associated with benefit were: small number of sessions (p<0.05), lower score in the analogical visual scale (p<0.01), and poor score in the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT) (p<0.05) and in direct span (p<0.01). The predictors associated with stability were: a better performance in the CVLT (p<0.01) and in direct span (p<0.01), and higher patient`s subjective memory score evaluated by the caregiver (p<0.01). The group that showed a worsening in QoL was associated to a higher Beck depression inventory score at baseline (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with FND following an OCR program, the analysis of independent predictors of QoL change may allow for a better prediction of treatment response. Study Supported by: Disclosure: Dr. Rojas has nothing to disclose. Dr. Leis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ciufia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Saux has nothing to disclose. Dr. Feldberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Caceres has received personal compensation for activities with Abbott, Serono Inc., and Teva Neuroscience as a speaker. Dr. Demey has nothing to disclose.