Example: Inference and Working Memory Capacity
Participants took a test of working memory capacity (a digit span test) and then read a story. The story contained 2 types of potential inferences: forward inferences (inferring what happened next after an event in the story) and backward inferences (inferring why an event in the story happened). Reading times for sentences at the point of the potential inferences were recorded. Longer reading times were interpreted as evidence that readers were making an inference. Participants were divided into two groups for analysis: high working memory capacity (digit span of 8 or more) and low working memory capacity (digit span of less than 8). Participants made more backward inferences than forward inferences, and this was true for both high and low digit span participants.