Text Processing: The Role of Reader Expectations and Background Knowledge

摘要

The role of reader expectations and background knowledge in determining the flexibility of text processing strategies was investigated. Two groups of under-graduates, who differed in knowledge of physics principles, read two texts about laser annealing and parakeets. Sentences were identified as high, intermediate, and low in each text structure hierarchy. Subjects were told to expect either an essay, short-answer, or same-different judgment test. Texts were presented sentence by sentence under subject control on a video terminal. Reading rates were recorded. Written tests were administered. Processing strategies changed as a result of different expectations of memory demands. However, these changes appeared to be subtle shifts, rather than dramatic differences, in time spent reading information at various test structure positions. Additionally, processing strategies and memory for text information were not linearly related.