Edukiaren efektuak arrazoibide deduktiboan: errazte efektua eta sineste-isuria

Abstract

Arrazoibide deduktiboak konklusio baliodunak edo baliogabeak sortzen ditu premisen forma logikoa soilik begiratuz -hau da, argumentuaren edukia, logikoki, hutsala da-. Hala ere, zenbait ikerketak frogatu dute edukiak laguntzen duela subjektuek arrazoibide deduktiboko problemak ebaztean duten zeregina zehazten. Artikulu honek literaturan luze eta zabal ikertutako bi eduki-efektutan jartzen du arreta: gaiaren errazte-efektuan eta sineste-isurian. Errazte-efektuak ideia hau hartzen du bere baitan: eduki konkretu bat duten problemak errazago ebazten dira eduki abstraktua duten problemak baino. Sineste-isuria, aldez aurreko ezagutzan, eta ez logikan, oinarritzearen ondorioz emaitza zehaztugabeak sortzeko joera sistematikoari dagokio. Artikulu honen lehen zatian bi eduki-efektu mota horiek badirela erakusten duen ebidentzia enpirikoa aurkezten da. Sineste-isuria badela onartzen da neurri handian; errazte-efektuari buruzko ebidentzia, berriz, ez da hain argia. Ondoren, eduki-efektuak azaltzeko teoria garrantzitsuenetariko batzuk aurkezten dira. Azkenik, artikuluak iradokitzen du hutsegitea -kasu honetan, edukia dela eta- hobeto aztertu behar dela aurrera egiteko modu gisa, eta ez giza irrazionaltasunaren froga gisa.; Deductive reasoning produces valid or invalid conclusions just by looking at the Iogical form of the premises -that is, the content of the argument is logically irrelevant. How- ever, several studies have shown that content does help in determining the performance of sub- jects in solving deductive reasoning problems. This paper focuses on two content effects that have been widely investigated in the literature: the thematic facilitation effect and the belief bias. The facilitation effect captures the idea that problems involving a concrete content are easier to deal with than problems including an abstract content. The belief bias refers to the systematic tendency to produce inaccurate results by relying on prior knowledge rather than on logic. Empirical evidence about the existence of these two kinds of content effects is presented in the first part of this paper. While the existence of a belief bias is largely recognized, evidence about the facilitation effect is not so clear. Next, some of the most important theories proposed to explain the content effects are introduced. The paper finally suggests that error -due to the content in this case- should be better analyzed as a way to progress rather than as a proof of human irrationality.