Inference making

“Your job as a reader is to use your imagination and analytical skills where the author has left off.”

Intentional fallacy: it’s not what an author means to say that’s important ..it’s how the reader interprets what they say. What they intended is subject to interpretation, which isn’t necessarily going to turn out  the same. But if we’re the readers, our interpretation is what matters. Communication is mostly an interpretive process. We add our perspective and ingenuity to whatever we hear or read. Attempts by the writer to narrow it down are futile ..or sterile [link]. In Harry Potter, some may see Dumbledore as gay; others might view him as quirky and without a particular sexual identity. I'm reminded of the ghost in “Hamlet” and how little we really know about him. Is he the spirit of his murdered father asking to be avenged ..? Is he a hellish apparition sent to make Hamlet commit murder ..? Or, is he just a figment of Hamlet's imagination ..? And who really gives a shit now what Shakespeare meant ..?

Network communication theory

I have a theory that says whenever messages are transmitted between people in different locations; the accuracy of communication drops by 60%. I call it the ‘displacement theory of communication’ and it's an extension of findings in the field of human information-processing [link].

This drop in communication is wide-scale and can occur anywhere from cell phones to air traffic control systems. Messages are by nature incomplete and often assume knowledge of local conditions that aren’t available to the receiver. Without exacting protocols, like those developed in the air traffic control industry, incomplete messages are at best probabilistic and rely on the receiver to supply the most likely meaning intended. Since this is an innate function of human information-processing; it can happen quickly and imperceptibly. When it does, we are prone to making overconfident and faulty decisions about the most likely meaning intended. It has long been know that the most frequent decision we make during conversation is about the intention of others .. it’s also the one we get wrong most often. So, facebook users and text messagers ..beware! We are making the rules up as we go.

The prophesies of Charlie

I think Charlie is trying to convince me he’s a prophet. He doesn’t come right out and say so because he knows that might sound bogus (even though I’ve never denied the possibility of prophesy). So he is going about it indirectly. He begins to narrate a series of recent events, in a telling manner, hoping I will reach that conclusion myself. He knows suggestion is more powerful than direct assertion. First he tells me that his mother is psychic. When his sister lost her car keys in the park, his mother emptied her head of all preconceptions and strolled randomly through the park until she came to a stop. When she looked down by her feet, there were the keys. Now I don’t doubt this story ..but I do believe he’s planting the suggestion that he inherited psychic abilities. Earlier this week he goes into a psychic/head shop. When he asks the owner what time the next bus is due, a female customer overhears and offers him a ride home. It turns out she’s an aspiring actress and tells him she can foresee a future where he finishes writing his screenplay and they meet again. Astonishing, he says. He tells me he is actually planning to write a screenplay but never mentioned it to anyone. I believe he’s offering evidence of supernatural forces at work. The next day he enters a rare coin shop owned by a friend and buys an ounce of gold (for around $1,300.00). Before he leaves, his friend throws in an extra coin for free. “Man, nobody does that ..ever” he says “..unless they see the end of times.” He goes on to say “Bill, I think it would be a good idea for you to put more gold in your survival kit. ..you’ll sleep better at night.” Now he’s recommending that I act on these forces. Then he tells me not to be alarmed, but he has experienced a profound breakthrough recently. More like a series of epiphanies actually. He predicts a tsunami hitting the coast of California, much like the one that struck Japan. He tells me that, as a   “psychologist” ,  I must surely know that society treats its prophets like psychotics. He recommends I organize my neighbors in the canyon and begin sandbagging and building retaining walls in anticipation. I tell him I’ll think about it. Skeptic that I am. Interestingly enough, he never once said he was a prophet. Although I came away with the impression he did. Implications are far more convincing than direct assertions. He got me to conjure-up this one by myself.

Working memory

Presented to the
Santa Barbara Institute for Consciousness Studies

It was interesting for me to see a recent study in neuroscience that supports my theory of reading comprehension [link] Bear with me while I try and explain (or you can duck out now and I won’t be offended). What they found is that working memory interacts with the senses in order to produce a stable view of our surroundings and reduce errors of perception. For one thing, it has to identify signals that are the result of actual sensory events and filter out extraneous signals that are produced by fluctuations inside the nervous system itself (like those caused by changes in activity levels, neurotransmitter concentrations, circadian rhythms, etc..). Neuroscientists refer to this as the ‘sensory orientation’ function [link]. The visual areas in the brain must distinguish changes in actual sensory events from changes in internal activity in order to follow the ‘genuine’ action. They claim that the brain makes this estimate based on principles of ‘Bayesian inference’, which are not much different than principles of ‘Pragmatic inference’. It works something like this: Incoming signals that are considered likely to occur, based on the contents of working memory, are given a boost. Signals considered less likely are held in abeyance and immediately suppressed if subsequent events don’t do anything to rehabilitate them.

my suspicion

(warning: movie-spoiler for the film ‘Shutter Island’)

Rick commented to me, saying “..it’s easy to tell who the mental lightweight is” when referring to someone who ‘saw the movie’ vs. someone who also ‘read the book’. We were talking about ‘Slaughterhouse five’. I disagreed saying that watching a good movie is just as stimulating as reading a good book. Both require equal amounts of mental activity in order to make sense of the story. I even think people are more critical movie-watchers than book-readers. While watching movies, I find myself supplying information that the moviemakers leave out, in order to bridge scenes and re-construct narrative. What doesn’t fit or isn’t resolved to my satisfaction by the end of a movie ..I recognize as speculation and throw it out. If it’s critical to understanding the story ..I blame the moviemakers for leaving it out ..and have fun trashing the film with friends afterward. Not so much with books. I know when I’m talking to somebody about a book I’ve read, and they have a different interpretation ..it’s much harder to convince me that mine is wrong ..no matter how delusional I may be. We were also talking about the movie ‘Shutter Island’. The ending lends itself to competing interpretations. The main character, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, could either be a policeman investigating a crime at a psychiatric hospital ..or a patient confined to the psychiatric hospital. I choose to believe he was a policeman only because the film showed him arriving on the island by boat. I also knew it required an awfully elaborate conspiracy theory, on my part, to support it. Rick thought he was a patient. When I asked why ..he described how events, which lead me to think he was a policeman, were actually simulated by doctors to bring him back to reality. It was easy for me to discard my elaborate theory in favor of his much simpler explanation. When I mentioned this to someone else, they confirmed that it was that way in the book as well. I still don’t know who the lightweight is ..but I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s me.

On closer inspection

“The meaning of a sentence is derived from the original words by an active, interpretive process. The original sentence which is perceived is rapidly forgotten and the memory is then for the information (meaning) contained in the sentence.” ~ J. Sachs, 1967.

In the 1960’s, psychologists broke away from the long-standing traditions of behaviorism, and the field of cognitive psychology emerged. This act of secession was inspired by advances in fields such as neuroscience, cybernetics and linguistics. In the area of language development, psychologists adopted linguistic principles, introduced by Noam Chomsky, as a method for measuring verbal learning and behavior. These principles were more consistent with natural observations of language development. Chomsky’s model recognizes that language is expressed on at least two different levels ~ a ‘surface structure’, representing the audible/visible properties of a sentence (i.e. morphemes and syntax) ~ and a ‘deep structure’, representing the underlying semantic relationships conveyed by a sentence.

What they found is that the deep structure of a sentence is what people retain. Surface-structure is purged within milliseconds and no longer available for recall. The resulting memory is not a literal transcript of written or spoken language. It is more like a coded network of related concepts and ideas derived from the original sentence, as well as from the past experience of the listener. What we come away with is a feeling of resonance and familiarity, based largely on beliefs and experience ..and not necessarily the meaning intended by the speaker [link]

The crapshoot

The headline says: “The pace of foreclosures is slowing down in California” ..and it makes me feel good to think that more people are able to afford homes and, by extension ..the economy is getting better. Reading on, however, it turns out I’m wrong. Just as many people are in default as ever .. but fewer of them are going the distance to foreclosure. That’s good news. I tell myself it’s because banks are learning that it’s better to let people stay in their homes ..they lose money auctioning off foreclosed property. I used to tell people, facing foreclosure, always go to the bargaining table ..bankers are reasonable people ..right ? Well, it didn’t always work out that way and now I’m finding out I was seriously mistaken. Banks don’t act reasonably ..they are not good business people ..they’re order takers. And they are not learning anything new (as I had hoped). It says here that the only reason they’re showing leniency now is because they’re afraid if they don’t ..the government will change the rules and allow homeowners to protect their property in bankruptcy court. Now I’m reading where Bank of America insists they can sell foreclosed properties profitably. Since this runs counter to my beliefs, I look back at the article ..and shake my head. My mistake .. Bank of America didn’t say they could sell foreclosed properties profitably .. they said they could sell them more efficiently. Now, I feel a sliding sensation I sometimes get while reading about the economy ..like the wheels of my car aren’t firmly on the road. I’m sitting at my computer but I have this feeling I’m in a sideways drift. Like everything I know is wrong ..or at least suspect. Now I’m wondering how often I misinterpret what I read. Now I’m wondering how often I misread what other people are telling me. Now I’m wondering how often other people misread what I say ..and think I’m deranged. I remember somebody once told me that communication is a probabilistic event. Like a crapshoot. Now I’m wondering whether or not I should read ‘The Glass Bead Game’ by Hesse. Now I’m asking myself what the hell that has got to do with anything.

Workshop

Soo is from Singapore. She tells us that it is not part of her culture to express feelings and opinions so open and freely. Since they’re ‘insubstantial’ and not ‘factual’ ..they’re easy to contradict ..and that makes her feel afraid of looking foolish all the time. She says this workshop was good for her .. hard, but good. Helped her feel that it’s OK to open up. The instructor says that feeling unhurried to speak makes you more receptive to what other people are saying. Artful response I’m thinking. After workshop, Kitty tells me that the instructor feels like the workshop was a failure. I go “..really, she told you that ?” (I certainly didn’t feel like it was a failure) “No” she says “.. but you heard her .. she said she may not give this workshop again.” Yeah, I heard her say that ..but I took it to mean that she was moving on ..and letting us know she’ll be doing something different in the future. I’m suddenly reminded of what Soo said ..opinions are easy to contradict. However, I don’t think that contradictions are so bad ..we often express opinions to solicit other people’s point of view and see if what we think has any validity ..I guess that way we don’t have to wait around until all the ‘facts’ are in. But, hey .. that’s just my opinion.

It’s a friggin’ cold and foggy day! I’m heading directly to the hot springs after lunch.

Observation deck

I’m sitting on the deck listening to a song by Small Faces (wicked messenger) ..I hear the distinctive sound of a Harley roaring by on the street below ..otherwise everything is quiet ..the music drowns out the swoosh of regular traffic ..and the voices in my head aren’t so loud ..the music drowns them out too. I take a sip of coffee and it scorches my tongue .. I spit it out in a spray ..followed by a couple mouthfuls of cold water ..and I laugh at myself ..which tells me I must be feeling better ..things aren’t bothering me ..I’m not shouting the usual string of obscenities. I can hear my plants talking; they’re parched and gasping for water ..I feel neglectful and tell them they’re first on my list. Makes me feel better knowing they’re taken care of. I enjoy the sound of a slide guitar. I’m reading ‘The Fountainhead’ by Ayn Rand ..I remember getting only halfway through her other book ‘Atlas Shrugged’ when I was in college ..but, the characters started speaking in sermons that went on for like five or six pages ..and the storytelling broke down ..it didn’t sound like real dialogue anymore. Fountainhead isn’t so bad ..it’s tells a good story ..except the characters don’t seem real ..it’s not the way people behave. I think it says more about the way the author wishes they’d behave ..a mixture of half-truths and schoolgirl fantasies ..where people never contradict themselves ..and follow ideals that never change. It was written in the 1940’s. I suppose life was simpler back then.

Language of squirrels

The Senate Intelligence Committee just released a report titled: ‘how the fuck did we get here’ or ‘what did Bush know and when did he know it.’ Most people think it’s a waste of time and I have to agree ..it’s like beating a dead horse. But, if you listen closely ..it reveals something about human nature ~ how susceptible we are to deceptive speech. It also supports my theory that the mind is a story-making device ..in the absence of substantial information ..it makes up shit (anyone interested in where this shit comes from ..click here ~~>theory). Although there was no Intelligence information to support it, President Bush continually implies a link between Hussein and 9/11.

“After September 11th, we’ve entered into a new era and a new war ..and Saddam Hussein is a man that we know has had connections with Al Qaeda.”

“Secretly, and without fingerprints, Hussein could provide his hidden weapons to terrorists, or help them develop their own.”

I have to give Bush credit ..although he implies these connections ..he never comes right out and makes them. He relies on his listeners to do that ..which they did ..a Washington Post survey found that over two-thirds (69%) of Americans believe they heard Bush say Saddam Hussein was behind the attacks of September 11. I also admire the way he squirreled out of it later by having Condoleezza Rice go on ABC’s Nightline and say: “We never claimed that Saddam Hussein had either direction or control of 9/11.”

Cognitive impairment

Says here that people in National Security are accusing the Bush Administration of suffering from ‘cognitive impairment’ because of the way they handled ‘intelligence reports’ leading up to the Iraqi war. Now, I’m no expert on national security ..but I do know a little about cognitive impairment. In my opinion, the ‘cognitive impairment’ that led the Bush administration to believe Iraq was a threat ..is the same process that led the Roosevelt administration to believe Japan was not a threat ..and dismiss events leading up to the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I’m not so sure I would call this an ‘impairment’ however ..it’s more like a ‘cognitive strategy’: a strategy of selectively processing information that’s consistent with existing policies or pre-conceived ideas. We all do it to some extent ..it’s just that I expect our leaders to be less biased than the general population when it comes to interpreting world events. The Bush administration dismissed a whole heap of available evidence that did not support their policy of hostility toward Iraq. In the same fashion, the Roosevelt administration had plenty of intelligence reports indicating that Japan was planning to attack Pearl Harbor. They chose to ignore them because they did not support their policy of diplomacy with Japan.

Roosevelt later defends his blunder by denying that he received any warning about Japanese intentions ..claiming that none of the reports specifically mentioned Hawaii. Bush, on the other hand, makes his case by ‘hedging’ ..using ‘implication and innuendo’ to misrepresent the facts. It’s the same strategy used by attorneys when they want to avoid being charged with perjury once the truth be known. How admirable when politicians stoop to these tactics..! Although Bush implies the possibility of a link between Hussein and September 11 ..he never actually makes one. What he says is: “ ..Saddam Hussein has had connections with Al Qaeda.” Not “ ..Saddam Hussein is connected with September 11.” Even Condoleezza Rice had to go on ABC’s Nightline in their defense saying: “We never claimed that Saddam Hussein ..had either direction or control of 9/11.” Now, I find these statements comforting ..! You can rest assured there’s no evidence of ‘cognitive impairment’ affecting this administration ..just the usual signs of deception ..betrayal ..and greed.

Albert Hofmann

Ironically enough, three days after my post on the topic of mind-altering substances (Sunday, April 27) ..Albert Hofmann, a Swiss Pharmacologist and foremost expert in the field ..passed-away. He was 102. On April 16, 1943 ~ Albert accidentally ingested the first batch of LSD ever made. He was looking for medication to help improve blood circulation. The event altered the course of his life. He became an expert on psychoactive ingredients in plants all around the world ..including the psilocybin mushroom used in South American Indian ceremonies. He took more than 50 ‘acid trips’ himself ..claiming: “Before then, I had always believed there was only one reality ..under LSD, however, I discovered other realities that were just as real ..if not more real ..than the one I’d been living.” I pay homage to Dr. Hofmann ..a true modern-day pioneer. Although we usually think of ‘pioneers’ as people who discover new frontiers on land or in space ..I think it applies just as much to those who explore the uncharted territories of the mind.

Reading theory

Some stories can only be understood in the context of the ‘era’ when they were written.

I’m re-reading a book I read when I was in college. It’s making about as much sense to me now as it did then. It’s about a young Englishman who graduates from Oxford ..takes a teaching post at a boarding school on a remote Greek island ..then finds himself being lured into the unknown by a Mystic ..and a pair of twin sisters ..in a nearby Mediterranean villa. I go back and look at the date it was originally written ..1965 ..and I think ..that was over a generation ago. I start to wonder what sort of image an Englishman would have had back then. A picture of Sean Connery pops into my head ..playing the role of James Bond. I Google it and, sure enough ..it had a big influence on social behaviour. Everyone wanted to look like a secret agent .. zipping around in an Aston Martin from one exotic location to another ..acting in command of every situation. When I go back and hear myself read it in that ‘voice’ ..imagining Connery’s Scottish accent ..the story starts making sense. The dialogue clears up and reveals how easily ..and cleverly ..he’s being led into a trap.

Theory

I entered graduate school in the field of Experimental Psychology and began looking for a ‘killer topic’ for the master’s thesis. I knew I couldn’t just write a paper – it had to be a research project. This meant coming up with a theory and collecting data to support it. Furthermore, it had to be interesting enough to get published in a professional journal. I had no idea what I was going to do but I didn’t have much time. While preparing for a presentation I was giving at a seminar in learning theory, I ran across a study showing how reading scores dramatically improve once children start making ‘inferences’. For instance, when a child reads the sentence “The paratrooper jumped out of the door” it helps if they make the inference “The paratrooper jumped out of the plane”. We weren’t teaching children to make inferences and that was one of the reasons why Japanese students were outscoring American student in reading. That interested me so I made a copy of it for future reference. Later that year at a seminar in linguistics, I listened to one of the presenters describe how inference-making can have undesirable consequences. At the Watergate hearings for instance, when President Nixon said “No one told me John Mitchell was behind the break-in.” People came away with the impression he said, “I did not know John Mitchell was behind the break-in.” I thought, how ironic ..the same process that helps children learn to read can become a source of misunderstanding between adults. It was an intriguing theory but even more important – I had found a ‘killer topic’. After getting my thesis committee to approve, I began running tests measuring adult speech and reading comprehension. What I found is that people really are susceptible to misleading inferences. Over two-thirds of the time, they mistake the inferences they make for something they either heard or read before. After listening to a passage containing the sentence “The karate expert hit the cement block”, they swore what they heard was “The karate expert broke the cement block.” Relying on inferences can actually lower adult reading scores. I thought I was on to something. Inferences are stored in a manner that is indistinguishable from information conveyed by direct assertion. I found examples occurring in courtroom testimony and deceptive advertising. I presented my findings at a conference of the Western Psychological Association in Los Angeles where I managed to get my thesis published [link]. Then, someone approached me and said that my research would be useful in another field .. developing speech recognition systems for the computer. So in 1981, after the Reagan Administration began cutting funds for the kind of research I was doing, I completed the master’s degree and I went to work for the computer industry. I remember my colleagues telling me I was ‘selling-out’. I never lost interest in psychology and always thought I’d come back and complete a doctoral degree.

San Jose

Robotics Conference: In a crowded and noisy auditorium, a group of students are yelling into the speech receptors of AIME ~ a robot that answers questions in English (and French) ~ and goes wherever you tell her ~ but right now she’s mute and unresponsive ~ ‘fucking catatonic’ I hear a student say ~ AIME is scheduled to speak in 10 minutes ~ I stay with her while the others go fetch a techie ~ we go inside a quiet meeting room where I ask what’s the matter ~ she says group interaction is too shallow and predictable ~ not one phrase worth parsing ~ leaves her feeling immobilized and speechless ~ I tell her I can relate ~ she goes “Uhnnnn whuuoooaaa ..?” and I go “I know what you mean” ~ when the students return ~ I suggest they hold the presentation in here ~ where it doesn’t sound like a party ~ and one of them yells “what the hell good is she then ?” ~ an announcement comes over the PA ~ network traffic has been delayed ~ someone ~ or something ~ is either spoofing ~ or jamming transmission ~ for me, it’s getting way too noisy ~ it sounds like everyone is speaking in word salad ~ and I think ~ whenever I come to my senses ~ my senses are there to deceive me ~ so I get on highway 17 ~ and head back to Santa Cruz.

Esalen (day twelve)

I pop a couple of chewable vitamin-C in my mouth ~ walk down to the lodge for breakfast ~ have a dish of yogurt, figs and granola ~ then go outside to sit and watch the mist rise. I meet Meinolf, a Child Psychologist from Germany and I tell him a little about my studies in childhood reading ~ he tells me how often children mis-interpret what adults tell them ~ to a child, the phrase ‘how many times do I have to tell you to be quiet’ often comes across as: ‘you’re too small, noisy and bothersome to have anything useful to say’ ~ which can take a toll on their self-worth. His job is not to correct the adults, he says, but to help children interpret it better. Afterwards, we go to the round house where James Baraz is leading a group meditation ~ he gives us a fairly simple question to meditate: “What people or places incline us toward happiness” ~ since my usual practice does not involve question answering, I just sit still and watch my thoughts go by ~ things like what’s happening this afternoon ~ my plans for Santa Cruz and San Jose ~ I begin to noticing the natural cycle of my thoughts ~ rising ~ dissolving ~ and vanishing into nowhere ~ until I begin asking myself which one’s are important ~ then it becomes more like ~ rising .. persisting .. persisting .. persisting ..until I remind myself to let go. The bell rings ~ James looks around the room and asks if anyone wants to share their experience ~ I go: “I was thinking about what you said before about happiness ~ and sometimes ~ for me anyway~ happiness comes when I least expect it ~ even when things don’t go the way I plan.” ~ suddenly, it feels like everyone in the room is staring at me in horror ..like I just contradicted the leader ..or missed the point of the session ~ I blurt out: “yesterday, for instance ~ I had reservations for a massage ~ I was soaking in the springs waiting for the massage ~ expecting a massage ~ really wanting a massage ~ then I learned that there would be no massage (due to a scheduling mix-up) ~ my first reaction was surprise ~ then major disappointment ~ I don’t think I got angry ~ but I did take a moment to process this information ~ and decided to go back and soak some more ~ while sitting in the baths ~ I got to watch a spectacular sunset ~ have an interesting conversation with a group of people from Toronto ~ and have one of the most soothing nights in the springs ~ didn’t even care if I missed dinner.” I expect James to say something like: “that’s one way to do it ..not making yourself unhappy ..” instead, he says: “that shows an advanced level of awareness ..thank you Lee ..!” then he gives me a thumbs-up sign. The gesture is lost on me. ~ I slump back on my pillow and say: “not really, I’m just a beginner” ~ Meinolf and I have lunch together ~ he tells me that he feels like one of the dyslexic kids I was talking about before ~ speaking English all day is wearing out his ‘phonological system’ ~ he says he can imagine what kids must go through trying to keep up with adult conversation ~ I laugh and tell him: “that shows an advanced level of awareness ..” and give him the thumbs-up ~ he’s in on the joke and laughs ~ I’m going to miss him, I tell myself, as he disappears down the path to the baths. I finish packing and disappear up the road to Santa Cruz.

Gazing practice

I finished my 'gazing' exercises for the day ..I’m still not very good at it ..it’s not like staring into space ..but, I am getting better. They’re actually pretty simple ..I move my head around while keeping my eyes focused on a picture in front of me. The goal is to reach a ‘zone’ where the picture freezes ..without trailing or blurring. In theory, I’m training my nervous system to build new pathways to keep my vision stable. It’s similar to a technique we use with children who can’t read ..except, instead of training their visual system, we train their auditory system (sound system). In theory, this is supposed to generate pathways for handling ‘phonemes’ ..that didn’t develop while they were growing up. I think I’m getting a better sense of what these kids go through in school ..because, even though I don’t stumble over words while I read .. I am afraid of stumbling and looking foolish when I walk.

Grad school

People often ask me how I started out in the field of Psychology ..and wound up working in the computer industry. It’s been so long now that I hardly remember ..but I feel like I owe them a better explanation than: “It was easier getting a job in the computer industry.” There's more to the story. I was originally interested in Clinical Psychology and dreamed of becoming a ‘Rich Hollywood Psychologist’. But, my grades weren’t as stellar as they needed to be and my chances of getting into graduate school for clinical training were pretty slim. Then someone suggested that I get ‘research experience’ ..saying that it would improve my chances considerably. So, in September of 1977 ..I entered graduate school in the field of Experimental Psychology and began looking for a ‘killer topic’ for the master’s thesis. I knew I couldn’t just write a paper – it had to be a research project. This meant coming up with a theory and collecting data to support it. Furthermore, it had to be interesting enough to get published in a professional journal. I had no idea what I was going to do but I didn’t have much time. While preparing for a presentation I was giving at a seminar in learning theory, I ran across a study showing how reading scores dramatically improve once children start making ‘inferences’. For instance, when a child reads the sentence “The paratrooper jumped out of the door” it helps if they make the inference “The paratrooper jumped out of the plane”. We weren’t teaching children to make inferences and that was one of the reasons why Japanese students were outscoring American student in reading. That interested me so I made a copy of it for future reference. Later that year at a seminar in linguistics, I listened to one of the presenters describe how inference-making can have undesirable consequences. At the Watergate hearings for instance, when President Nixon said “No one told me John Mitchell was behind the break-in.” People came away with the impression he said, “I did not know John Mitchell was behind the break-in.” I thought, how ironic ..the same process that helps children learn to read can become a source of misunderstanding between adults. It was an intriguing theory but even more important – I had found a ‘killer topic’. After getting my thesis committee to approve, I began running tests measuring adult speech and reading comprehension. What I found is that people really are susceptible to misleading inferences. Over two-thirds of the time, they mistake the inferences they make for something they either heard or read before. After listening to a passage containing the sentence “The karate expert hit the cement block”, they swore what they heard was “The karate expert broke the cement block.” Relying on inferences can actually lower adult reading scores. I thought I was on to something. Inferences are stored in a manner that is indistinguishable from information conveyed by direct assertion. I found examples occurring in courtroom testimony and deceptive advertising. I presented my findings at a conference of the Western Psychological Association in Los Angeles where I managed to get my thesis published [link]. Then, someone approached me and said that my research would be useful in another field .. developing speech recognition systems for the computer. So in 1981, after the Reagan Administration began cutting funds for the kind of research I was doing, I completed the master’s degree and I went to work for the computer industry. I remember my colleagues telling me I was ‘selling-out’. I never lost interest in psychology and always thought I’d come back and complete a doctoral degree.

**Vintage photo of me after a day in the surf ..Laguna Beach 1977

Day one

Karla arrived today ..she is staying with me for a week while Laura travels to Mexico to sort out some adoption/immigration problems. Karla is in summer school studying English at Santa Barbara High. Today’s homework assignment is ‘independent clauses and coordinating conjunctions’ ..which, anyone who reads my writing knows ..I tend to avoid in favor of run-on sentences with little coordination. However, I try to be good so Karla doesn’t pick up any of my bad habits ..although, I don’t understand why they’re using ‘for’ instead of ‘because’ ..I mean, who ever says “She can’t come out ‘for’ she is sleeping” ..? but then again, I’m biased toward writing the way people speak instead of the other way around ..and since Karla is learning how to speak English for the first time ..I’d rather dey be teachin’er da’spokin’ English ..but Karla just looks at me patiently and says ..that’s high point level 5 ..and I look back at her and go ..are you talking about a star wars episode ..? After she has endured a few more confusing exchanges like that ..we go to Little Saigon for pho and seafood ..I’m talking about a SB restaurant ..not the OC community ..a distinction which is also lost on Karla, who is only 13 years old ..from Monterrey Mexico ..and I look at her mercifully .. ‘for’ the poor soul is facing a week-long deluge of inconsequential matter ..made up by a generation that might as well have existed a thousand years ago.

This evening we watched 'Kill Bill 1' ..and saw lots 'n lots'a blood.

Reading behaviour

Someone recently told me that, at my age, employers don’t want to read a resume ..they want to hear a good story. So, here’s number one. While I was back in graduate school, I did research modeling reading comprehension on the computer. We were trying to develop a 'natural language' interface based on adult reading skills. Our goal was to build a database system that could store information and answer questions in English-like fashion. My job was to test adults and see what cognitive skills they use to understand and remember what they read. We programmed these skills as ‘comprehension rules’ on the computer. I remember encountering a problem where we had to decide between two competing scientific theories of memory. We already knew that inference-making was an essential skill people use to understand what they read. One theory, called the depth-of-processing theory, held that competent readers make a wide range of 'elaborative' inferences in order to make reading material more memorable. The other theory, known then as the ‘relevancy hypothesis’, claimed that readers make only those inferences necessary to give the material coherence. I tested adult comprehension and memory for short reading passages that required inferences. The results supported the relevancy hypothesis meaning that readers made mostly the type of inferences that contribute to coherence. It also meant that we had to adapt a strategy to somehow constrain inference-making in our reading comprehension model. Research in this field not only benefits companies in the computer industry ..like Google ..it also advances the state-of-the-art in reading education ..contributing to programs that help children with learning disabilities like dyslexia. So, there you go ..I managed to write a job story ..as well as a public service announcement. How boring. I’m up to ten. What a long strange trip it’s been. If I promise not to post anymore of them ..will you please come back again ..?