The functional equivalence of problem solving skills

doi:10.1016/0010-0285(75)90012-2

Cognitive Psychology

Volume 7, Issue 2, April 1975, Pages 268-288

https://doi.org/10.1016/0010-0285(75)90012-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

The tower of Hanoi problem is used to show that, even in simple problem environments, numerous distinct solution strategies are available, and different subjects may learn different strategies. Four major classes of solution strategies are described for the problem. Different strategies have different degrees of transferability, place different burdens on short-term memory and on perception, and require different learning processes for their acquisition. The analysis underscores the importance of subject-by-subject analysis of “what is learned” in understanding human behavior in problem-solving situations, and provides a technique for describing subjects' task performance programs in detail.

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^☆: This Research has been supported in part by Research Grant MH-07722 from the National Institute of Mental Health, and in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Secretary of Defense (F44620-70-C-0107) which is monitored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

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The functional equivalence of problem solving skills☆

Abstract

The structure of experience acquired while learning to solve a class of problems

A study of the effects of verbalization on problem solving

Journal of Experimental Psychology

Processes for sequence production

Psychological Review

Understanding complex task instructions