Investigating Transfer of the Refutation Text Effect

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: Refutation Texts

Abstract

We examined whether readers’ revised knowledge from reading a refutation text can transfer to a subsequent text that was designed to re-activate a misconception. In Experiment 1, participants read texts that addressed misconceptions about vaccination safety and transfer texts that re-activated and backgrounded those misconception. In Experiment 2, participants read texts that addressed socio-scientific and psychological misconceptions as well as transfer texts that (a) re-activated and backgrounded the misconception or (b) only re-activated the misconception. Reading time data in both experiments show that reading a refutation text facilitates readers’ comprehension of the correct idea in the following transfer text, suggesting that transfer of the revised knowledge from refutation texts does occur.

Authors

• Jasmine Kim, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

• Panayiota Kendeou, University of Minnesota