From poor performance to success under stress: Working memory, strategy selection, and mathematical problem solving under pressure.

Abstract

Two experiments demonstrate how individual differences in working memory (WM) impact the strategies used to solve complex math problems and how consequential testing situations alter strategy use. In Experiment 1, individuals performed multistep math problems under low- or high-pressure conditions and reported their problem-solving strategies. Under low-pressure conditions, the higher individuals' WM, the more likely they were to use computationally demanding algorithms (vs. simpler shortcuts) to solve the problems, and the more accurate their math performance. Under high-pressure conditions, higher WM individuals used simpler (and less efficacious) problem-solving strategies, and their performance accuracy suffered. Experiment 2 turned the tables by using a math task for which a simpler strategy was optimal (produced accurate performance in few problem steps). Now, under low-pressure conditions, the lower individuals' WM, the better their performance (the more likely they relied on a simple, but accurate, problem strategy). And, under pressure, higher WM individuals performed optimally by using the simpler strategies lower WM individuals employed. WM availability influences how individuals approach math problems, with the nature of the task performed and the performance environment dictating skill success or failure.

Firing the Executive: When an Analytic Approach to Problem Solving Helps and Hurts

“…Attempting to control solution progress via analytic or incremental approaches could also make the consideration of remote associations or novel solutions unlikely. Consistent with this hypothesis, studies have found that solvers with less working memory capacity, who possess less of an ability to control their own attention, can actually be more flexible creative problem solvers than participants with superior executive functioning (Ansburg & Hill, 2003;Beilock & DeCaro, 2007;Kim, Hasher, & Zacks, 2007). Similarly, creative problem solving performance seems to benefit when solvers are put in contexts that disrupt their ability to engage in more focused or controlled processing.…”

Increases in rewards promote flexible behavior

“…The aforementioned researchers have suggested that when we are at our most flexible, we are actually not as prepared to perform a practiced task or primed response, which may help explain some cases of choking under pressure (e.g., Baumeister, 1984;Beilock & DeCaro, 2007). We can become more capable of taking multiple courses of (Experiments 1-3) and priming/color-switch cost (Experiments 4 and 5) when the reward increased from low to high, as compared with when the reward remained low.…”

Classifying retrieval strategies as a function of working memory

“…Strategy selection as a function of working memory (differences in kind) WM capacity is indicative of the types of strategies chosen by individuals for some tasks (Beilock & DeCaro, 2007) and contributes to the explanation of individuals' strategy choices for our retrieval task. When participants were not under load, HWMs selected the most effective retrieval strategy (classification) more often than LWMs did.…”