ABSTRACT
Given that a Rolls Royce is more expensive than a Mercedes and that the latter is more expensive than a Volvo, people easily infer that a Volvo is cheaper than a Rolls. This result is typically obtained by constructing a linear array with the elements or terms (Rolls, Mercedes, Volvo) ordered from top to bottom or from left to right, as proposed by the spatial array view (see De Soto, London, & Handel, 1965; Huttenlocher, 1968; Potts, 1974). According to a review by Evans, Newstead, and Byrne (1993), the spatial array view is the best summary of the findings reported in the literature. Basically, it may be concluded that linear reasoning problems are solved by constructing an integrated spatial representation of the premise information (see also Barclay, 1973; Foos, Smith, Sabol, & Mynatt, 1976; Gattis, chap. 8, this volume; Mynatt & Smith, 1977; Potts, 1976; Sternberg, 1980, 1981).
