To determine whether the distraction effect associated with material rewards in discrimination learning can account for the superior performance of reward groups in probability learning, the performance of 144 school children (preschool, second, and fifth grades) on a two-choice successive discrimination task was compared under three reinforcement…

This teacher's guide provides background information, lists of needed equipment, suggestions for instruction, and answers to student exercises. The unit is designed for elementary school students as a supplement to other SMSG volumes; it can, however, be used in any program. It is designed to make mathematics enjoyable, promote systematic…

The studies reported here asked: (a) How does receipt of outcome knowledge affect judgment? (b) How aware are people of the effects that outcome knowledge has on their perceptions? Answers to these questions will shed light on how people do learn and might better learn from history. (Author/RK)

A Bayesian Model II approach to the estimation of proportions in m groups is extended to obtain posterior marginal distributions for the proportions. The approach is extended to allow greater use of prior information than previously and the specification of this prior information is discussed. (Author/RC)

In two experiments the probabilistic properties of an internal (skill) task were simulated in an external (chance) task. (Editor)

Four different extensions to McNemar's problem concerning the hypothesis of equal probabilities for the unlike pairs of correlated binary variables are considered, each for testing simultaneous equality of proportions of unlike pairs in c independent populations of correlated binary variables, but each under different assumptions and/or additional…

Measuring object similarity using the method of free clustering is gaining in popularity. Instructions are usually simple and since no structure is imposed on the subject's selection, response bias is reduced. More importantly, measures of object similarity derived from the judges' clustering can be adequately analyzed by the methods of…

This is a School Mathematics Study Group (SMSG) probability text for primary school students. The main goal of the text is to introduce some basic ideas of probability. The text is written at the level of a child's intuitive knowledge of what constitutes "an equal chance" or "a better chance." The authors suggest that there are…

This is a manual for teachers using School Mathematics Study Group (SMSG) primary school text materials. The commentary is organized into three parts. The first part contains an introduction and a section on mathematical comments relating to background knowledge needed by the teacher. The second and main part consists of a chapter by chapter…

IN THIS EXPERIMENT, 186 FRESHMAN ENGINEERING STUDENTS STUDIED ELEMENTARY PROBABILITY BY THESE INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS--(1) MULTIPLE CHOICE TEACHING MACHINES, (2) FREE-RESPONSE TEACHING MACHINES IN INDIVIDUAL BOOTHS AND IN CLASSROOMS, (3) PROGRAMED TEXTS REQUIRING OVERT RESPONSES AND GIVING CORRECT ANSWERS, (4) PROGRAMED TEXTS REQUIRING NO OVERT…

A method of estimating the parameters of the Rasch Model removing the effect of ramdom guessing is presented. The procedure is an application of the ARRG (Abilities Removing Random Guessing) model recently developed for two parameter latent trait models. Under the Rasch model ARRG provides for estimation of abilities, removing the effects of…

This paper explains the concept of models, their construction, and their use. It is suggested that mathematics is a helpful tool in model construction, and that models in general are indispensable in science. Models identify variables and illustrate causal relationships among the variables. An attempt is made to classify models from the point of…

Probability and statistics have become indispensable to scientific, technical, and management progress. They serve as essential dialects of mathematics, the classical language of science, and as instruments necessary for intelligent generation and analysis of information. A prelude to probability and statistics is presented by examination of the…