title: Are strategy shifts caused by data-driven processes or by voluntary processes?
abstract: The present research investigates the role of voluntary, conscious processing in strategy change. In 2 experiments, we address whether the switch to a new strategy is the result of data-driven, automatic processes or of voluntary processes. Experiment 1 demonstrates that participants performing an alphabet verification task are able to (a) transfer a newly adopted strategy to dissimilar information never encountered before, (b) verbally describe the task regularity that allows for the generation and application of the new strategy immediately after the strategy was adopted. Using the same experimental task, Experiment 2 shows that participants, and (c) decide against adopting a new strategy when the available evidence suggests that the new strategy cannot be used for the entire range of problems encountered. Overall, the obtained results support the view that strategy change is mediated by voluntary controlled processing. They do not support the view that strategy change is an inevitable, automatic consequence of task practice. The present research thus highlights a potential function of conscious human processing.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Psychologie, Universität Köln, Gronewaldstrasse 2, D-50931 Köln, Germany. hilde.haider@uni-koeln.de
authors.forename: Hilde
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Haider
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Frensch
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Joram
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition; D003243:Consciousness; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011930:Reaction Time; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014836:Volition