Testing hypotheses about mechanical devices

Aidan Feeney; Simon J. Handley

Testing hypotheses about mechanical devices

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference proceeding contribution › peer-review

Abstract

We use the literature on mechanical reasoning to derive predictions about how people will test a mechanical rule. In the presence of a single rule we predict significantly more selections of tests in which the hypothesized cause is manipulated than in the presence of two rules: the original and one casting doubt on the sufficiency of the hypothesized cause for the effect. We describe an experiment using Wason's selection task that confirms our predictions and go on to discuss the implications of our results for recent work on causal cognition.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society
Editors	Johanna D. Moore, Keith Stenning
Place of Publication	Mahwah, NJ
Publisher	Lawrence Erlbaum
Number of pages	6
ISBN (Print)	0805841520
Publication status	Published - 2001
Externally published	Yes
Event	Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (23rd : 2001) - Edinburgh, Scotland Duration: 1 Aug 2001 → 4 Aug 2001

Conference

Conference	Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (23rd : 2001)
City	Edinburgh, Scotland
Period	1/08/01 → 4/08/01

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Cite this

@inproceedings{62016279903f4741ba0e080697b8ad0a,

title = "Testing hypotheses about mechanical devices",

abstract = "We use the literature on mechanical reasoning to derive predictions about how people will test a mechanical rule. In the presence of a single rule we predict significantly more selections of tests in which the hypothesized cause is manipulated than in the presence of two rules: the original and one casting doubt on the sufficiency of the hypothesized cause for the effect. We describe an experiment using Wason's selection task that confirms our predictions and go on to discuss the implications of our results for recent work on causal cognition.",

author = "Aidan Feeney and Handley, {Simon J.}",

year = "2001",

language = "English",

isbn = "0805841520",

editor = "Moore, {Johanna D.} and Keith Stenning",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society",

publisher = "Lawrence Erlbaum",

note = "Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (23rd : 2001) ; Conference date: 01-08-2001 Through 04-08-2001",

}

TY - GEN

T1 - Testing hypotheses about mechanical devices

AU - Feeney, Aidan

AU - Handley, Simon J.

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - We use the literature on mechanical reasoning to derive predictions about how people will test a mechanical rule. In the presence of a single rule we predict significantly more selections of tests in which the hypothesized cause is manipulated than in the presence of two rules: the original and one casting doubt on the sufficiency of the hypothesized cause for the effect. We describe an experiment using Wason's selection task that confirms our predictions and go on to discuss the implications of our results for recent work on causal cognition.

AB - We use the literature on mechanical reasoning to derive predictions about how people will test a mechanical rule. In the presence of a single rule we predict significantly more selections of tests in which the hypothesized cause is manipulated than in the presence of two rules: the original and one casting doubt on the sufficiency of the hypothesized cause for the effect. We describe an experiment using Wason's selection task that confirms our predictions and go on to discuss the implications of our results for recent work on causal cognition.

M3 - Conference proceeding contribution

SN - 0805841520

BT - Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society

A2 - Moore, Johanna D.

A2 - Stenning, Keith

PB - Lawrence Erlbaum

CY - Mahwah, NJ

T2 - Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (23rd : 2001)

Y2 - 1 August 2001 through 4 August 2001

ER -

Testing hypotheses about mechanical devices

Abstract

Conference

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