Perspective Effects During Reading: Evidence from Text Change-Detection. Issue 2 (17th February 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bohan, Jason; Filik, Ruth
• Is Part Of: Discourse processes. Volume 55:Issue 2(2018)
• Page Start: 113
• Page End: 122
• Publication Date: 2018-02-17
• Subjects: Discourse analysis -- Periodicals; 401.41
• DOI: 10.1080/0163853X.2017.1330020
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-853X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We report two text change-detection studies in which we investigate the influence of reading perspective on text memory. In Experiment 1 participants read from the perspective of one of two characters in a series of short stories, and word changes were either semantically close or distant. Participants correctly reported more changes to perspective-relevant than perspective-irrelevant words and for distant than close changes. However, distance and perspective did not interact, suggesting that adopting a particular perspective did not lead to a more fine-grained analysis of perspective-relevant information. In Experiment 2 participants read one long narrative from the perspective of either a burglar or house-buyer. Results showed that only participants with a low working memory span showed perspective effects, suggesting that individual differences in working memory capacity appear to influence processing of perspective-relevant information.