Dl. Valencia-laver et Ll. Light, The occurrence of causal bridging and predictive inferences in young and older adults, DISCOURS PR, 30(1), 2000, pp. 27-56
Four experiments used an indirect measure of memory, perceptual identificat
ion, to examine possible differences in the generation of causal bridging a
nd predictive inferences by young and older adults. In Experiments 1 and 2,
young and older adults read paragraphs in which material necessary for und
erstanding causal connections was either explicitly stated or merely implie
d. Identification of target words related to the causal connection, whether
stated or implied, was better than identification of new, unrelated words,
Ibis benefit was similar in young and older adults. In Experiments 3 and 4
, the generation of predictive inferences that are not necessary for discou
rse comprehension was examined. Overall, the results of these 2 experiments
suggested no systematic age differences in the generation of these optiona
l, elaborative inferences. Recognition memory for inferences was also teste
d in each experiment. The evidence suggests that causal bridging inferences
, but not predictive inferences, may be incorporated into the textbase by b
oth young and older adults. Results are discussed in terms of current theor
izing about comprehension deficits in old age.