Conditional concept attainment as a function of if factor complexity and then factor complexity.

1 June 1968

journal article
Published by American Psychological Association (APA) in Journal of Experimental Psychology

Vol. 77 (2) , 212-222
https://doi.org/10.1037/h0025797

Abstract

EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF PROBLEM COMPLEXITY UPON THE DIFFICULTY AND USE OF FOCUSING STRATEGIES FOR THE "IF FACTOR" AND "THEN FACTOR" OF CONDITIONAL CONCEPTS. 135 STUDENTS SOLVED 3 CONCEPT ATTAINMENT PROBLEMS FROM A 6-ATTRIBUTE 2-VALUE CONCEPT UNIVERSE IN A 3 * 3 * 3 REPEATED MEASURES FACTORIAL DESIGN WITH THE FOLLOWING VARIABLES: (1) IF FACTOR COMPLEXITY (1, 2, OR 3 RELEVANT ATTRIBUTES), (2) THEN FACTOR COMPLEXITY (1, 2, OR 3 RELEVANT ATTRIBUTES), AND (3) PROBLEMS (3 PER S). MAJOR RESULTS WERE: (1) THE MAIN EFFECTS OF BOTH IF AND THEN FACTOR COMPLEXITY WERE RELATIVELY LESS IMPORTANT THAN THEIR INTERACTION; THERE WAS A CURVILINEAR RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TOTAL COMPLEXITY AND NUMBER OF CARD CHOICES TO SOLUTION, UNTENABLE HYPOTHESES, AND FOCUSING STRATEGY; (2) RELATIVELY MORE USE OF FOCUSING ON THE IF FACTOR THAN THE THEN FACTOR; AND (3) STEADY IMPROVEMENT FOR 4 OF THE 6 DEPENDENT VARIABLES. (22 REF.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved)

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