@article{KistnerBurnsVollmeyeretal.2016,
  author    = {Kistner, Saskia and Burns, Bruce D. and Vollmeyer, Regina and Kortenkamp, Ulrich},
  title     = {The importance of understanding: Model space moderates goal specificity effects},
  series = {The quarterly journal of experimental psychology},
  volume    = {69},
  journal   = {The quarterly journal of experimental psychology},
  publisher = {Optical Society of America},
  address   = {Abingdon},
  issn      = {1747-0218},
  doi       = {10.1080/17470218.2015.1076865},
  pages     = {1179 -- 1196},
  year      = {2016},
  abstract  = {The three-space theory of problem solving predicts that the quality of a learner's model and the goal specificity of a task interact on knowledge acquisition. In Experiment 1 participants used a computer simulation of a lever system to learn about torques. They either had to test hypotheses (nonspecific goal), or to produce given values for variables (specific goal). In the good- but not in the poor-model condition they saw torque depicted as an area. Results revealed the predicted interaction. A nonspecific goal only resulted in better learning when a good model of torques was provided. In Experiment 2 participants learned to manipulate the inputs of a system to control its outputs. A nonspecific goal to explore the system helped performance when compared to a specific goal to reach certain values when participants were given a good model, but not when given a poor model that suggested the wrong hypothesis space. Our findings support the three-space theory. They emphasize the importance of understanding for problem solving and stress the need to study underlying processes.},
  language  = {en}
}