title: An experimental study of strategy development.
abstract: Three experiments are reported in which the strategy usage for a compass point directions task was investigated. For this task, people may use either an efficient cancellation strategy or an inefficient spatial strategy (see Roberts, Gilmore, & Wood, 1997). Experiment 1, together with Experiment 2, showed that users of cancellation are unlikely to have explicit prior knowledge of this strategy; instead they discover it as a result of experience with the task. Experiment 1 also showed that strategy selection is unlikely to be based on stylistic preferences, and that reducing the cognitive demands of the task does not increase the discovery of cancellation. Experiment 3 showed that evaluation of strategy validity is also of importance: Unsuccessful evaluation may prevent the selection of a newly discovered strategy, even if it is the more efficient method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Essex, Colchester, England.
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Newton
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D003210:Concept Formation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D008297:Male; D009949:Orientation; D011340:Problem Solving