"How Does This Fit Together?" Effects of Explanations in Understanding Scientific Conflicts From Multiple Documents

• In Event: 52.027 - Comprehension of Conflicting Information

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to examine the role of explanations in understanding conflicting scientific information from multiple documents. A total of 57 undergraduates read 11 Internet documents on a controversial medical topic. We manipulated whether conflicting claims were accompanied by causal explanations or by topic-related filler information that did not provide any explanations for the occurrence of conflicts. Results revealed a marginally significant advantage for the explanation-group in terms of memory for conflicting information. Moreover, reading conflicts with explanations improved participants’ ability to apply their knowledge of conflicts in a social knowledge-building task. Results are discussed against the background of previous research on explanations in single text comprehension and are related to theories of multiple document comprehension.

Authors

• Marc Stadtler, University of Münster

• Lisa Scharrer, University of Münster

• Rainer F. Bromme, University of Münster