Investigates common problem-solving strategies of sixth-grade students (N=25) identified by their teachers as having superior abilities in problem solving. Audiotaped interview problem-solving sessions recorded behaviors of individual students. Conclusions are that superior problem solvers share common strategies for different types of problems.…

The question of whether skills in achieving understanding and retention of information at high levels of abstraction can be taught is addressed by analyzing some of the mental processes involved, and briefly reviewing a number of attempts that have been made to induce these processes. (Author)

For 235 ninth-grade students, intercorrelations of Guilford's structure-of-intellect (SOI) tests and of three measures of critical thinking were factor analyzed. The study reveals the viability of using SOI constructs involving cognition and evaluation of semantic content as likely explanatory components of critical thinking. (Author/AL)

Social-matching problems were verbally presented to children either with or without concrete models. In each condition, information was provided which was sufficient, superfluous, or irrelevant. Problems containing only irrelevant information were the most difficult, although models enhanced the performance of younger children but depressed the…

Identifies 14 cognitive components of the diagnostic thinking process in clinical problem solving. Analyzes the differences between medical students, hospital house officers, and hospital registrars in London, England, on the relative use of such thinking processes. Suggests that diagnostic thinking processes cannot be incorporated into medical…

Many science curriculum development projects have the goal of increasing students' ability to employ scientific or formal reasoning strategies. Argues that longitudinal data of students who acquired formal reasoning strategies as a consequence of specific instruction are needed to provide evidence that these skills will help in other academic…

Subjects either punished incorrect or rewarded correct responses made by a confederate on a learning task. In three experiments subjects were, interrupted midway through the learning trials. Half were individuated and half were deindividuated; they were provided a "hot-line" to summon the experimenter. Found no reliable methods for inhibiting…

Contrasted three major theories on attitude change: cognitive dissonance, incentive, and social judgment. Results from student questionnaires provided little support for cognitive dissonance. Also provided credible, though overlapping, evidence for incentive and social judgment theories. Improvised role playing produced more change than did…

Investigates the proficiency level of adult readers on the "when" and "where" aspects of storing and retrieving information to successfully complete a task. (HOD)

Discusses the use of the clinical interview in assessing cognitive structure and in investigating conceptual change. They caution much more work is needed to increase the applicability and validity of the clinical interview method and point out that there is a lack of systematization in the analysis of interview transcripts. (Author/PB)

A model of memory developed by information processing psychologists is described, illustrating how such a model could be used to guide science education research on learning and problem solving. (Author/SK)

Students participated in dyadic disclosure exercises over a five-week period. Results indicated members of high functional similarity dyads evidenced greater attraction to one another than did members of low functional similarity dyads. "Friendship" pairs of male undergraduates displayed greater functional similarity than did…

Asserts that it is the willingness of readers to confront the problems found in difficult text and their courage in working them out that define and exemplify literacy and represent the mode of disciplined attention that reading teachers are responsible for passing on to their students. (AEA)

This review illustrates aspects of cognitive psychology relevant to the understanding of how people think mathematically. Developments in memory research, artificial intelligence, visually mediated processes, and problem-solving research are discussed. (MP)

Notes that little research has been undertaken into the effects of anthropomorphism on children's reading and presents questions concerning the use of this device in beginning reading materials. (FL)