ABSTRACT
For the field of discourse processing to advance, researchers must understand the underlying cognitive processes involved. The creation of models of discourse processing permit researchers to develop predictions based on their understanding of these cognitive processes. For these models to be testable, they must be implemented in a way that they can generate specific quantitative predictions that can be compared against research data. Current quantitative models have proved to be successful in accomplishing these goals. Researchers can run simulations of human discourse processing and test the effectiveness of the models. This permits an improved understanding of how humans process discourse, as well as the development of practical applications that simulate human processing.
