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Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?

It is known that formal explanations with categorical labels are more satisfying than explicit tautologies. However, would they still be more satisfying if they are implicitly tautological themselves? In two experiments, we compared the degree of satisfaction between tautological formal explanations...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Aslanov, Ivan, Guerra, Ernesto
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10568452/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37842701
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258985
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author Aslanov, Ivan
Guerra, Ernesto
author_facet Aslanov, Ivan
Guerra, Ernesto
author_sort Aslanov, Ivan
collection PubMed
description It is known that formal explanations with categorical labels are more satisfying than explicit tautologies. However, would they still be more satisfying if they are implicitly tautological themselves? In two experiments, we compared the degree of satisfaction between tautological formal explanations, explicit tautologies, and proper explanations. Additionally, we examined whether participants knew the correct definitions for the labels used in the formal explanations. Finally, we asked whether cultural and linguistic differences can play a role in the treatment of formal explanations with categorical labels. To this end, the first experiment involved Chilean students (N = 50), and the second experiment involved Russian students (N = 51). It was found that formal explanations, despite their intentional tautology, were still rated as more convincing compared to explicit tautologies (but less convincing than proper explanations). Furthermore, this effect did not depend on participants’ previous knowledge (the label’s definitions) or linguistic and cultural background. Taking all this into account, we consider this effect as a relatively universal psychological phenomenon and relate our findings to existing theories of formal explanations.
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spelling pubmed-105684522023-10-13 Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability? Aslanov, Ivan Guerra, Ernesto Front Psychol Psychology It is known that formal explanations with categorical labels are more satisfying than explicit tautologies. However, would they still be more satisfying if they are implicitly tautological themselves? In two experiments, we compared the degree of satisfaction between tautological formal explanations, explicit tautologies, and proper explanations. Additionally, we examined whether participants knew the correct definitions for the labels used in the formal explanations. Finally, we asked whether cultural and linguistic differences can play a role in the treatment of formal explanations with categorical labels. To this end, the first experiment involved Chilean students (N = 50), and the second experiment involved Russian students (N = 51). It was found that formal explanations, despite their intentional tautology, were still rated as more convincing compared to explicit tautologies (but less convincing than proper explanations). Furthermore, this effect did not depend on participants’ previous knowledge (the label’s definitions) or linguistic and cultural background. Taking all this into account, we consider this effect as a relatively universal psychological phenomenon and relate our findings to existing theories of formal explanations. Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-09-28 /pmc/articles/PMC10568452/ /pubmed/37842701 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258985 Text en Copyright © 2023 Aslanov and Guerra. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
spellingShingle Psychology
Aslanov, Ivan
Guerra, Ernesto
Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title_full Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title_fullStr Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title_full_unstemmed Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title_short Tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
title_sort tautological formal explanations: does prior knowledge affect their satisfiability?
topic Psychology
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10568452/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37842701
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1258985
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