The role of the middle terms contiguity in pragmatic syllogistic reasoning

Bringing the middle terms into contiguity is proposed by mental models (Joh nson-Laird & Byrne, 1991) as a cognitive operation involved in syllogistic reasoning. However, a causal-agency behavioural content has been demonstrat ed to bias the deductive process towards a pragmatic conclusion in oppositi on to the figural effect (Marrero & Gamez, 1999). In this paper we examined if bringing the middle terms into contiguity remains as a cognitive operat ion in the process of drawing a pragmatic conclusion. We carried out two ex periments. In Experiment 1, we examined both if the middle terms contiguity presentation facilitates the drawing of the pragmatic conclusion, and if i n syllogisms with the causal-agency direction reversed the subjects carried out two cognitive operations: returning the content to the standard causal -agency direction, and subsequently, placing the middle terms into contigui ty. In Experiment 2, we compared the latency of drawing a formal conclusion facilitated by the middle terms contiguity and a pragmatic conclusion faci litated by the standard causal-agency direction presentation. In general, t he results did not support the idea that bringing the middle terms into con tiguity is a cognitive operation involved in the process of drawing a pragm atic conclusion. The implications for syllogistic reasoning research are di scussed.