Strategic use of familiarity in display-based problem solving.
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.
Payne
S J
SJ
School of Psychology, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. paynes@cardiff.ac.uk
Richardson
J
J
Howes
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008606:Mental Processes; D011340:Problem Solving; D021641:Recognition, Psychology