The (inductive) Benefit of Being Far Out: The Influence of Spatial Proximity on Diversity-Based Reasoning
Mentor 1
Christopher Lawson
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
27-4-2018 1:00 PM
Description
Inductive reasoning – using evidence about a specific case to arrive at a general conclusion – is governed by a set of principles that help individuals make sense of the available evidence. This study examined one principle, the diversity principle, which dictates that when making a prediction we should prefer to rely on diverse samples of rather than homogenous samples. We explore the extent to which specific task features – spatial properties of evidence – impacts diversity-based reasoning. Forty-four undergraduates generalized properties attributed to exemplars, presented either in close proximity (no separation between exemplars, N=20) or spatially distant (each exemplar separated by about 18 cm, N=24) to a range of other targets. A mixed ANOVA (Condition by Targets) revealed a main effect of Condition, F(1,42)=4.56, p=.01, η2=.24, which was qualified by a Condition by Target interaction, F(1,42)=3.98, p=.03, η2=.19. Simple effects analyses revealed that there was a higher rate of projections when exemplars were spatially distant than when they were in close proximity. These results indicate that the way evidence is presented influences the degree to which individuals are willing to generalize from diverse samples. This finding contributes to a growing body of evidence highlighting several ways in which features of evidence presentation influences inductive decisions (Lawson, 2017; in press).
The (inductive) Benefit of Being Far Out: The Influence of Spatial Proximity on Diversity-Based Reasoning
Union Wisconsin Room
Inductive reasoning – using evidence about a specific case to arrive at a general conclusion – is governed by a set of principles that help individuals make sense of the available evidence. This study examined one principle, the diversity principle, which dictates that when making a prediction we should prefer to rely on diverse samples of rather than homogenous samples. We explore the extent to which specific task features – spatial properties of evidence – impacts diversity-based reasoning. Forty-four undergraduates generalized properties attributed to exemplars, presented either in close proximity (no separation between exemplars, N=20) or spatially distant (each exemplar separated by about 18 cm, N=24) to a range of other targets. A mixed ANOVA (Condition by Targets) revealed a main effect of Condition, F(1,42)=4.56, p=.01, η2=.24, which was qualified by a Condition by Target interaction, F(1,42)=3.98, p=.03, η2=.19. Simple effects analyses revealed that there was a higher rate of projections when exemplars were spatially distant than when they were in close proximity. These results indicate that the way evidence is presented influences the degree to which individuals are willing to generalize from diverse samples. This finding contributes to a growing body of evidence highlighting several ways in which features of evidence presentation influences inductive decisions (Lawson, 2017; in press).
