The Structure-Building Framework: What it is, What it Might Also Be, and Why 1

I have proposed previously that language comprehension can be described as structure building, and I have sketched a simple framework to use as a guide. I call this framework the Structure Building Framework. According to the Structure Building Framework, the goal of comprehension is to build cohesive mental representations, or structures. The first process involved in building a structure is laying a foundation. The next process involves developing the structure by mapping on incoming information when that information coheres with the previous information. However, if the incoming information is less coherent, comprehenders employ a different process: They shift to initiate a new substructure. Thus, most representations comprise several branching substructures.