Three experiments were performed, based on the two hypotheses about the rejection of false statements. False statements are rejected because they are "contradictory sentences," i.e., there is a subject/predicate contradiction, and "counterexample sentences," which are rejected when a person thinks of a counterexample to the assertion. (SC)

Two experiments are reported to distinguish between the representation of sentences in immediate versus longer-term memory. It is indicated that the immediate representation is a verbatim image of the sentence but at delays there are both verbatim images and propositional representations. (Author/RM)

A study testing two theories about the processing of ambiguous sentences is reported. Results suggest that parallel processing and reciprocal interactions underlie the comprehension of ambiguous sentences. (RM)

A study is reported investigating the question whether inferences made from sentences occur immediately in comprehension or are in part a function of the way material from sentences is stored in memory. (Author/RM)

This paper evaluates associative theories of sentence memory, based on the model of J.R. Anderson and G.H. Bower. A model of Human Associative Memory (HAM) is generalized and defined, and alternative models incorporating configural information are presented. (CK)

It was hypothesized that Ss hearing sentences containing reported utterances would confuse these sentences with new sentences containing illocutionary forces or perlocutionary effects consistent with the original sentences. Predicted effects were found in recall for illocutionary forces and in recognition memory for perlocutionary effects.…

Research supported by a United States Public Health Grant to Edward E. Smith. (VM)

Reports on research on the effect of various encoding and retrieval conditions on sentence recall. (AM)

Research is reported in which a memory-for-marked-semantic-features theory was juxtaposed to a memory-for-meaning theory. The results were interpreted as supporting a global memory-for-meaning theory. (Author/RM)

A set of experiments are reported in which it was found that most subjects were better at identifying both meaning and wording changes in concrete sentences and subjects took significantly longer to encode and decode the abstract sentences. Implications of these findings are discussed. (Author/RM)

Examines the verification of false sentences of the form "All S are P." It was found that the number of properties shared by the subject and predicate concept of the sentence was directly proportional to reaction time. These findings question the assumption that only property relations are prestored in memory. (Author/EJS)

Verifying simple sentences generally involves a process wherein the meanings of individual words are combined to form the meaning of the entire sentence. Three experiments are described in which the combination process was investigated by asking subjects to decide whether S-V-Adj-O sentences were true or false. (Author/RM)

Reading comprehension is an active inferential process. Three experiments are described in which the possibility was examined that highly probable inferences are drawn, even when they are unnecessary for comprehension. (Author/RM)

Three experiments investigated a characteristic of the propositions that underlie sentences. For some of the sentences tested, the same concepts occurred repeatedly across the underlying propositions; for others, concepts were seldom repeated. Repetitions were shown to facilitate sentence processing. (Author/RM)

Describes a process model for sentence verification, including sentences expressing the implications of their antecedents. The model's distinctive features are the assumption that verification is based upon a focal element in the test sentence, and the comparison of this element with information corresponding to it in the antecedent…