MATERIAL EFFECTS DURING THE ACQUISITION O F COGNITIVE-ABILITIES

The experiment proceeds from the finding that performance in the acqui sition of cognitive skills differs in dependence of given stimulus mat erials. The purpose of the current experiment was to examine whether t his difference was due to differences in the discrimination of the sti mulus material or due to an additional use of a simplification strateg y. The first assumption is suggested by the learning machanisms, postu lated by current models of the acquisition of cognitive skills. In con trast, the second assumption, the use of an additional strategy, is ha rdly discussed, but might have implications concerning the development of trainings. In order to differentiate between these two assumptions , subjects in three experimental conditions were trained with differen t stimulus material. On the one hand this material differed concerning the discrimination of the tasks. On the other hand it differed concer ning the possibility to use an additional strategy. Moreover, in a tra nsfer session subjects received identical tasks. The results suggest t hat the differences in performance were due to differences in the use of an additional strategy and not due to differences in the discrimina tion of the tasks.