Abstract
This study investigated whether context constraints affect inference processing differently for high and low vocabulary readers. Participants named a target word representing an inference concept which followed an inducing context sentence. Evidence for inferences involved facilitation in naming latencies for the target word when it was predictable by the context. Constraints (reduced vs. normal vs. enhanced) were determined by manipulations of the inducing context that affected the extent to which a tobe-inferred concept was predictable. Results indicated that context constraints are more important for low than for high vocabulary readers: The former benefited from enhanced constraints (i.e., probability and speed of inference processing was increased) more than the latter; in addition, reduced constraints were detrimental for low but not for high vocabulary readers.
