title: Strategic use of familiarity in display-based problem solving.
abstract: The authors report 4 experiments that investigated the role of recognition memory and plausibility in a display-based problem-solving task (computer menu search). It was found that both the familiarity of options and their plausibility played a role in determining choices when the correct options could not be recollected. The use of familiarity was adaptive: Participants relied less on familiarity when it was a less valid guide to correct choices. The implications of these findings for theories of problem solving and learning are discussed.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. paynes@cardiff.ac.uk
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Howes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008606:Mental Processes; D011340:Problem Solving; D021641:Recognition, Psychology