The goal of this unified theory of human reasoning is to specify what constitutes reasoning and to characterize the psychological distinction between inductive and deductive reasoning. The theory views reasoning as the controlled and mediated application of three processes (encoding, comparison and selective combination) to inferential rules. (JAZ)

Long-term memory differences between 30 mentally retarded and 30 nonretarded young adults were assessed. Subjects studied a picture book after receiving semantic or nonsemantic encoding instructions. Semantic encoding improved the retarded subjects' recognition memory. Once items were encoded at a deep level, the long-term recognition of all…

Two experiments compared recognition memory of 85 nonretarded and 85 mildly mentally retarded adolescents immediately and 1 week after presentation of word stimuli of semantic incidental, nonsemantic incidental, or intentional orienting instructions. Results suggest similar processing in mildly retarded and nonretarded persons, with longer…