ANALYSIS OF DIFFICULTIES LINKED TO THE PR OCESSING OF NEGATIVE CASES IN A CONCEPT-IDENTIFICATION TASK

Authors
Citation
C. Vezeau et L. Reid, ANALYSIS OF DIFFICULTIES LINKED TO THE PR OCESSING OF NEGATIVE CASES IN A CONCEPT-IDENTIFICATION TASK, Canadian journal of experimental psychology, 51(1), 1997, pp. 47-56
Citations number
26
Categorie Soggetti
Psychology, Experimental
ISSN journal
11961961
Volume
51
Issue
1
Year of publication
1997
Pages
47 - 56
Database
ISI
SICI code
1196-1961(1997)51:1<47:AODLTT>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
A number of studies have already shown that subjects have difficulty p rocessing information conveyed by negative cases in tasks involving th e identification of concepts. Beyond the many attempts to explain this phenomenon, past research has not succeeded in helping to identify th e specific weaknesses involved in processing this type of information. The objective of the two studies presented here was, initially, to id entify the specific weaknesses in processing information conveyed by n egative cases and, secondly, to improve the quality of such informatio n processing through actions directly focusing on the weaknesses ident ified. The findings of the first study confirm the deficient processin g of negative cases and suggest that the subjects are not using an app ropriate cognitive rule allowing them to correctly process this type o f information. The findings of the second study confirm this interpret ation and show that the quality of such information processing can be improved when the subjects are prompted to use a cognitive rule that r educes the number of steps involved in information processing.