The importance of understanding: Model space moderates goal specificity effects
- 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 stressThe 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.…
Author details: | Saskia Kistner, Bruce D. Burns, Regina VollmeyerGND, Ulrich KortenkampORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2015.1076865 |
ISSN: | 1747-0218 |
ISSN: | 1747-0226 |
Pubmed ID: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26250943 |
Title of parent work (English): | The quarterly journal of experimental psychology |
Publisher: | Optical Society of America |
Place of publishing: | Abingdon |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2016 |
Publication year: | 2016 |
Release date: | 2020/03/22 |
Tag: | Goal specificity; Problem solving; Scientific discovery learning; Three-space theory |
Volume: | 69 |
Number of pages: | 18 |
First page: | 1179 |
Last Page: | 1196 |
Funding institution: | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [VO 514/17-1] |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Mathematik |
Peer review: | Referiert |