TWO SWITCH-LIGHT PROBLEMS WERE USED TO INVESTIGATE THREE VARIABLES THAT INFLUENCE PROBLEM-SOLVING PERFORMANCE--(1) THE NUMBER OF DISTRACTING RESPONSE ALTERNATIVES, (2) THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE RESPONSE ALTERNATIVES, AND (3) THE NUMBER OF MINIMALLY REQUIRED RESPONSES. IN THE PROBLEMS USED, THE SUBJECT ATTEMPTED TO ACHIEVE A PARTICULAR PATTERN OF…

THE EFFECT OF ANXIETY ON COGNITIVE PROCESS HAS BEEN AN AREA OF EXTENSIVE RESEARCH. CONSIDERABLE EVIDENCE HAS INDICATED THAT HIGH ANXIOUS SUBJECTS ARE INFERIOR TO LOW ANXIOUS SUBJECTS ON COMPLEX COGNITIVE TASKS. ANOTHER FACTOR WHICH MAY INFLUENCE THE EFFECTS OF ANXIETY IS THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A TASK IS PRESENTED. RECENT RESEARCH HAS SUGGESTED…

The impact of false information concerning the effect of the menstrual cycle on test performance and subjects' perception of the adequacy of that performance were investigated. Women (N=65) were studied either during the premenstrual or midcycle phase. Subjects were given one of three interpretations: (1) they should do well because of their…

The hypothesis that success influences task preferences was tested. Results supported the hypothesis: the probability of change in task preference was greatest under high success reinforcement ratio conditions. (Author)

The theory of achievement motivation with a modification involving future orientation, was used to predict that: (a) subjects who perceive a course examination to have future implications should perform better than those who do not; (b) Highly anxious subjects who perceive the course examination to have future implications should persist longer at…