Nonlearning: The completeness of the blindness.

Fingerman, Paul W.; Levine, Murray

doi:10.1037/h0036096

Cited by 14 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…A series of studies by Levine (1971;Fingerman & Levine, 1974) gave an even more striking example of Einstellung. Two letters (A and B) were printed on each of a long series of cards, one letter on the right side (R) and one letter on the left (L).…”

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confidence: 99%

Spurious Correlations in Mathematical Thinking

Ben-Zeev¹,

Star²

2001

Cognition and Instruction

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How does detection of correlational structure affect mathematical thinking and learning? When does correlational information lead to erroneous problem solving? Are experienced students susceptible to misleading correlations? This work attempts to answer these questions by examining a source of systematic errors termed the spurious-correlation effect. This effect is hypothesized to occur when a student perceives a correlation between an irrelevant feature in a problem and the algorithm used for solving that problem and then proceeds to execute the algorithm when detecting the feature in a different problem. In this research, we investigated whether students encode spurious correlations in memory and exhibit them during the learning process leading to ineffectual problem solving. Findings suggest that even experienced students rely on surface-structural feature-algorithm correlations for solving new problems. Implications for teaching are discussed.

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confidence: 99%

Spurious Correlations in Mathematical Thinking

Ben-Zeev¹,

Star²

2001

Cognition and Instruction

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“…Levine's version of hypothesis theory (e.g. 109) has received a good deal of attention and has been applied to other problem-solving tasks (47,108). Bourne and his co-workers have proposed frequency theories for both rule and attribute learning (7, 10, 173) which seem likely to receive attention in the fu ture.…”

Section: Concept Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thinking

Erickson¹,

Jones²

1978

Annu. Rev. Psychol.

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“…If it was applicable, positive transfer would result. Negative transfer occurred when the rule appeared to be applicable but, in fact, was not (for detailed treatments of hypothesis theory and transfer, see Fingerman & Levine, 1974;Levine, 1975;Sweller, 1980aSweller, , 1980bSweller & Gee,1978).…”

Section: Transfermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There appear to be no readily obtained and replicated examples of negative transfer and few studies involving positive transfer (for an example, see Anzai & Simon, 1979) using problems other than rule-induction or hybrid problems. Not only can transfer be readily and reliably produced using rule-induction problems, but negative transfer in the form of Einstellung can be massive: Extremely simple problems can be rendered effectively insoluble by the presentation of an appropriate series of preliminary problems (see Fingerman & Levine, 1974;Sweller, 1980b).…”

Section: Transfermentioning

confidence: 99%

Control mechanisms in problem solving

Sweller

1983

Memory & Cognition

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Hypothesis-testing theories and information processing theories have both been used to explain the results of problem solving experiments. The theories have, in general, been applied to different claasee of problems, resulting in little overlap or interaction between them. Information processing theories have tended to emphasize problems in which the problem solver' s primary source of information concerning the correctness of his moves is the problem goal and, as a result, the goal plays a major role in the control mechanisms determining moves. Hypothesis theories have emphasized problems in which direct feedback is the primary control mechanism available. It is suggested that altering a problem solver's major source of information from a goal to feedback or vice versa will have important implications for the course of problem solving and what islearned during the solution process. Specifically, changes in the information feedback andlor goal-specificity characteristics of a problem should, in a predictable fashion, alter problem solving strategies, which should, in turn, through the presence or absence of information compression devices such as rule induction, strongly affect transfer. Experiments using the Tower of Hanoi and visual maze-tracing problems indicated that altering the density of subgoals resulted in alterations in subsequent transfer performance.A wide variety of tasks studied in the problem solving laboratory are characterized by decision-making processes. Solution is attained by aseries of decisions. Two major classes of theories have arisen to explain and predict experimental results: information processing theories and hypothesis theories. (It might be noted that although these labels are commonly used, they are not strictly descriptive, since both theories discuss information processing.) Both theories arose and developed largely in isolation from each other, and although both emphasize decision making during problem solving, there appears to be little overlap either in the theoretical statements made or in the types of problems studied. Two Problem TypesHypothesis theory has been applied primarily to the stimulus-response-feedback type of problems, of which concept learning tasks are the best known. Subjects are presented a stimulus, such as one or more colored geometric shapes, and must decide which one of two or more possible responses to make (e.g., pointing to one of the objects) before being informed of the correctness of the response. Most stimulus-response-feedback problems require the induction of a rule for solution, and this has influenced the theories used to explain the results of experiments employing these types of problems. The most influential theory has been hypothesis-testing theory, with Levine (1975) providing the most comprehensive statement. In essence, the theory assurnes that subjects solve problems by testing aseries of hypotheses I wish to thank Marvin Levine for extended discussions and comments on an earlier version of this paper. Requests for reprints should be ...

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Nonlearning: The completeness of the blindness.

Cited by 14 publications

References 1 publication

Spurious Correlations in Mathematical Thinking

Spurious Correlations in Mathematical Thinking

Thinking

Control mechanisms in problem solving

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