Social Comprehension and Judgment: The Role of Situation Models, Narratives, and Implicit Theories

Contents: Preface. Part I: Introduction and Basic Concepts. Introduction. The Architecture of the Information-Processing System. Determinants and Effects of Knowledge Accessibility. Part II: Comprehension Processes. The Comprehension and Validation of Information About Familiar People and Events: The Role of Situation Models. The Construction of Episode Models and Generalized Narrative Representations. The Impact of Generalized Event Representations on Comprehension and Memory. Pragmatic Influences on the Interpretation of Statements Made in a Social Context. The Dynamics of Humor Elicitation: The Effects of Informational Context on the Interpretation and Elaboration of Narratives. Part III: Inference Processes. Crimes, Vacations, and Political Candidates: The Construction and Use of Narratives in Social Judgments. The Impact of Implicational Molecules and Implicit Theories on Inferences About Oneself and Others. The Role of Affect in Information Processing. Epilogue: The Book, the Author, and Philosophical Ruminations. Appendix: Summary of Postulates.