ISSN : 1226-9654
In two experiments, representation of causal information in reading was investigated. In Experiment 1, the order of presentation and that of testing of causal information were manipulated. Regardless of the order of presentation, the cause events were recognized faster than the consequent events, which suggested that the causal information was represented in natural order. In the single cause condition of Experiment 2, recognition was marginally faster when a target event was a cause than when the event was an enabling condition. In the two cause condition of Experiment 2, recognition time was not affected by the order of the two causes, which suggested that causality of possible causal events were differentially judged and processed based on the nature of the causal events.