The relevance of syntactic complexity for truth judgments

A registered report

Dados Bibliográficos

ID20409693
AutoresOliver Schmidt (0000-0003-4746-2221, Philipps University of Marburg, autor correspondente), Daniel W Heck (0000-0002-6302-9252, Philipps University of Marburg)
Ano2024
Volume117
Páginas103623
Data de publicação2024-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoConsciousness and Cognition (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1053-8100 • E-ISSN: 1090-2376
EditoraElsevier BV (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1016/j.concog.2023.103623
PMID38142632
OpenAlexW4390150810
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas1
Referências citadas55

Fluency theories predict higher truth judgments for easily processed statements. We investigated two factors relevant for processing fluency: repetition and syntactic complexity. In three online experiments, we manipulated syntactic complexity by creating simple and complex versions of trivia statements. Experiments 1 and 2 replicated the repetition-based truth effect. However, syntactic complexity did not affect truth judgments although complex statements were processed slower than simple statements. This null effect is surprising given that both studies had high statistical power and varied in the relative salience of syntactic complexity. Experiment 3 provides a preregistered test of the discounting explanation by using improved trivia statements of equal length and by manipulating the salience of complexity in a randomized design. As predicted by fluency theories, simple statements were more likely judged as true than complex ones, while this effect was small and not moderated by the salience of complexity

Cognitive psychology · Fluency · Linguistics · Natural language processing · Processing fluency · Syntax · Computer Science · Decision-Making and Behavioral Economics · Misinformation and Its Impacts · Psychology · Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment