Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Haylie Smith and I'm from Sarasota, Florida! I'm a sophomore majoring in Behavioral Neuroscience here at FSU. My current project focuses on the role of the conditional statement in logical reasoning. While at FSU, I plan to continue my research in psychology, aiming to better understand how people logically reason. My goal is to one day attend medical school and become a physician.

Do Conditionals Matter In Conditional Reasoning?

Abstract

The power of mathematics depends on its ability to express generalities. Generalities in math are often represented by conditional statements—for example, “If m and n are both positive, then m+n is positive.” However, it is not well understood whether, when, and how people use such statements during reasoning. We will investigate this by testing if participants’ evaluations of mathematical arguments are affected by the presence of general conditional statements within the arguments. Participants will evaluate arguments that either include a general conditional statement (e.g., “If m and n are both positive, then m+n is positive; m+n is not positive; therefore m and n are not both positive”) or do not (e.g., “m+n is not positive; therefore m and n are not both positive). Which arguments are presented with or without the conditional statement will be randomized between participants. If evaluations of the arguments do not change when the conditional statement is included, it will suggest that most people are unable to reason readily at the level of generalities. If evaluations are more accurate when the conditional statement is included, it will suggest that explicit generalities enhance participants’ perception of logical relations. Additionally, participants will do a brief mathematics test to determine whether the effects of presence versus absence of the conditional statement differ by mathematical ability.

Keywords: conditionals, conditional statements, logical reasoning, mathematics