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Doctoral Dissertation Defense
of
Shruti Kate

For the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy
Learning Sciences

How Do Pragmatic Forms of Provisional Language Shift the Interpretation of Facts and Myths?

March 6, 2026
10:00 a.m.

How Do Pragmatic Forms of Provisional Language Shift the Interpretation of Facts and Myths?

What leads one person to interpret information one way, while others process it differently? It might be due to the interaction between knowledge and how information is communicated. Language and pragmatics may shift our response to representations, even when they are strongly (or weakly) situation in cognition. Hence, examining a bigger picture of how language, pragmatics, and knowledge interact is an extremely important problem to solve in the real-world.

Based on the Dual Process Models of Information Processing & a measure of computer mouse tracking, this dissertation examined how pragmatic forms of provisional language shift interpretations of facts and myths. A total of 41 participants were recruited from the general US population using Prolific. A logit mixed effects model was used to evaluate truth endorsement as a function of fact status, provisional language type, and their potential interaction.

Findings suggest that people believed statements with hedges (like "might") more than those using boosts (like "definitely"). Change in tone slower participants responses and increased mental conflict, showing that subtle shifts in how something is said affects how certain it feels. This suggests that language and its delivery actively contribute in shaping how people perceive and judge scientific claims, illuminating the intricate play of cognitive dynamics that underlie belief evaluation and change.