This study extended concepts derived from Rothkopf's mathemagenic hypothesis to problem solving. While previous mathemagenic research has established that adjunct questions interspersed with written prose facilitates learning, it has been criticized as educationally nonsignificant because the research has focused on verbatim learning. To test…

Hypothesis behavior on three dimensional concept attainment problems was measured for 48 children (12 each at grades K, 2, 4, and 6). Every feedback trial was followed by a blank trial, a procedure that provided separate measures of Ss' ability to use hypotheses and test hypotheses. A S was considered to be "using" when his hypothesis inferred…

The hypothesis that memory support (MS) reduces state anxiety (A-State) and errors in a computer assisted learning task was investigated. It was predicted that high A-State students given MS would make fewer errors than high A-State students given no memory support (NMS). Low A-State students were expected to perform equally as well with or…

In order to study the influence of the information-processing strategy of an adult model on the subsequent strategy of children, 216 grade school children solved modified twenty-questions problems. A repeated-measures factorial design was used with the following variables: (1) information-processing of model (hypothesis scanning, constraint…

Reported is a study to determine the effectiveness of televised instruction to aid in changing attitude toward problem solving. A total of 153 students, in grades 5 and 6, participated in the experimental and control groups in typical rural and urban schools. A 14-program series, The Televised Learning Package or Challenge, was used with the…

This report presents research concerned with two information-processing constructs, "cognitive strategies" and "cognitive styles." Study one analyzes thinking-aloud protocols obtained from a female undergraduate doing anagram problems. Several major strategies are described, along with basic "Operators" subject used to construct and modify…

Effects of generating hunches upon subsequent search activities in problem solving situations were studied among 45 students, 9-11 years of age. The population, divided into three groups, was assigned to observe a contradictory stimulus. The first group was asked to write hunches, while the second was allowed to read a set of hunches. Hunch…

This monograph reports the proceedings of a symposium that considered issues in the use of learning hierarchies in both psychological and educational research. The opening paper presents a brief overview of research on learning hierarchies. Issues considered include the use of behavior analysis as a basis for generating hierarchies, the extent to…

One hundred and sixty-two subjects of three age levels were tested to examine the relationship between crystallized and fluid abilities and three problem solving tasks varying in the abstractness/concreteness of their stimuli and emphasis on past experience. These dimensions have been used by Davis to distinguish between Type "O" and Type "C"…

Reasons are provided that show the goal-directed study of subject material through the problem-solving approach which results in sounder learning. (Author/ND)

Numerous mathematical examples are presented which illustrate and raise questions about students' tendencies to overgeneralize. (BB)

A leisurely approach to problem solving was taken since it was considered important to understand the problem of studying mistakes before educators discuss and use solutions to problems. Concrete suggestions on how to incorporate the study of mistakes into an educational program were provided. (Author/RK)

The cognitive movement emphasizes perception and memory and deemphasizes learning, retention, and transfer (as in traditional associationism). A general reconceptualization of learning and retention makes these concepts subordinate to the concept of transfer and emphasizes prior knowledge, skills, and attitudes. A general information processing…

Three experiments using college students examine the processes involved in deductive reasoning. Effects of training in classroom and laboratory situations confirmed the authors' hypothesis that people use pragmatic reasoning schemas rather than syntactics rules of logic for problem solving. Training materials used in experiments 1 and 3 are…

Presents results of an investigation into the cognitive engagement processes used by more and less successful learners in a computer problem solving game. Results show records of more and less successful students to be distinguished by spontaneous use of self-regulated learning processes. More successful students shifted to cognitive engagement…