Book contents
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Foundations
- Part II Reading-Driven General Cognitive Enhancement
- Part III Reading-Driven Enhanced Vision
- Part IV Reading-Driven Enhanced Memory
- Part V Reading-Driven Enhanced Spoken Language
- Part VI Reading-Driven Enhanced Reasoning
- Chapter 12 Deductive Reasoning
- Chapter 13 Critical Reasoning
- Part VII Conclusion and Outlook
- References
- Index
- References
Chapter 12 - Deductive Reasoning
Literacy Enhances Drawing of Valid Inferences
from Part VI - Reading-Driven Enhanced Reasoning
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 April 2026
Book contents
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- The Perks of Being a Bookworm
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Dedication
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Foundations
- Part II Reading-Driven General Cognitive Enhancement
- Part III Reading-Driven Enhanced Vision
- Part IV Reading-Driven Enhanced Memory
- Part V Reading-Driven Enhanced Spoken Language
- Part VI Reading-Driven Enhanced Reasoning
- Chapter 12 Deductive Reasoning
- Chapter 13 Critical Reasoning
- Part VII Conclusion and Outlook
- References
- Index
- References
Summary
Reading and writing impose the logic of language more directly on thinking than speech does, as they foster deeper awareness of and sustained engagement with the rules and linear structure of language. Literacy enables readers to reason about topics that extend beyond personal experience, cultivating the ability to apply universal formal principles when evaluating events. This, in turn, enhances one’s understanding of the causal chains of reasoning required for deductive thinking.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Perks of Being a BookwormThe Science of the Benefits of Reading, pp. 173 - 182Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2026
References
Further Reading
Dias, M., Roazzi, A., & Harris, P. L. (2005). Reasoning from unfamiliar premises: A study with unschooled adults. Psychological Science, 16(7), 550–554.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Luria, A. R. (1976). Cognitive development: Its cultural and social foundations. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Scribner, S. (1977). Modes of thinking and ways of speaking: Culture and logic reconsidered. In Johnson-Laird, P. N. & Wason, P. C. (Eds.), Thinking: Readings in cognitive science (pp. 483–500). New York: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
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