Use of cognitive capacity in reading: Effects of some content features of text∗

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Bruce K. Britton, Department of Psychology and Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602.

Abstract

Use of cognitive capacity was measured during reading of text in six experiments. Content features of the texts were varied. A secondary task technique was used to measure use of capacity. In all experiments, capacity was filled more completely while reading narrative text than while reading expository text. The finding was generalized over two pools of passages, over two modalities of secondary task probes— auditory and tactile—and over two secondary tasks—simple reaction time and choice reaction time. Three hypotheses for the narrativity effect were investigated. Not supported were an hypothesis based on the interest value of the passages and the hypothesis that difficult to comprehend passages induced problem solving cognitive operations that filled capacity. The results were consistent with a comprehensibility hypothesis, which states that when more meaning is produced in the reader's cognitive system while reading a text, more cognitive capacity is filled by reading it. Narrative passages produce more meaning because schemata for narrative texts are more familiar, more frequently encountered, and easier to comprehend than schemata for expository texts.

Notes

Correspondence and requests for reprints should be addressed to Bruce K. Britton, Department of Psychology and Institute for Behavioral Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602.