ABSTRACT
Literature on relational reasoning mainly focuses on the performance question. It is typically argued that problem difficulty relies on the number of “mental models” compatible with the problem. However, no study has ever investigated the wording of conclusions that participants formulate. In the present work, we analyse the relational terms that people use in drawing conclusions from spatial relation problems (A is to the left of B, B is to the left C, D is in front of A, E is in front C, What is the relation between D and E?). We show that the linguistic form of premises, the presentation format, the orientation of the question and the internal inspection of the mental model are important factors in determining the wording of conclusions. Our study shows that the type of conclusion produced provides a key to identifying the mental processes involved in solving these problems.
