Prior Knowledge Activation and the Comprehension of Compatible and Incompatible Text

This study examined the effect of prior knowledge activation on average readers' comprehension of compatible and incompatible text. Fifty-two sixth-grade students either activated or did not activate what they believed to be relevant background knowledge prior to reading each of two science passages taken from naturally-occurring text. Based on the results of pre-experimental knowledge domain and pilot data measures, the passage on rattlesnakes was judged compatible, while the one on sunlight was considered incompatible due to the counter-intuitive information it contained. Measures of written free recall and multiple-choice tests were the dependent variables. In addition, a post-session questionnaire was administered. Findings supported the notion that prior knowledge may interfere with, rather than facilitate, reading comprehension under certain conditions. Subjects who activated relevant background knowledge prior to reading text that contained ideas which were incompatible with their existing knowledge structures allowed their previous knowledge and experiences to override the text information. This effect was observed for both general and specifically targeted comprehension indices. There was no difference in performance between activators and non-activators on compatible text. Excerpts from students' post-session questionnaire responses were reported, and instructional implications were tentatively drawn regarding the role of text in changing inaccurate background knowledge. /// [French] Cette étude a examiné l'effet de l'activation de connaissances préalables sur la compréhension chez des lecteurs moyens de texte compatible et incompatible. Cinquante deux élèves de sixième ont soit activé soit non activé ce qu'ils ont considéré être des connaissances de fond pertinentes avant la lecture de chacun des deux passages de sciences pris à partir de texte se présentant naturellement. Basé sur les résultats du domaine de connaissances pré-expérimentales et les mesures de données pilotes, on a jugé le passage sur les serpents à sonnettes compatibles, tandis qu'on a considéré celui sur la lumiére solaire incompatible compte-tenu des informations contre-intuitives qu'il contenait. Les mesures de souvenir libre écrit et de tests à choix multiples étaient les varibles dépendantes. De plus, on a donné un questionnaire post-session. Les découvertes soutiennent la notion que les connaissances préalables peuvent interférer, plutôt que faciliter, avec la compréhensio