THE EFFECTS OF PREFERRED REPRESENTATIONS ON SOME TASKS USING SOLID GEOMETRICAL FIGURES

Privileged (typical basic-level) representations are cognitive represe ntations in which figurative features play a significant part. We spec ifically consider studies on the conventional point of view in object perception (Palmer, Rosch, Chase, 1981). We propose an analysis of sol id geometrical problems in the field of typicality theory and more gen erally in the theoretical field of mental models. Applied to this geom etrical domain, the analysis suggests that individual cognitive repres entations - corresponding with different points of view from which a f igure can be seen - are more or less representative examples of the ca tegory, that is to say they correspond more or less with the mental mo del built by the subject in this domain. Task 1 emphasizes the most re presentative point of view for four solid geometrical figures chosen b y the experimenter. Then, we analyse two tasks on each figure from bot h the typical and non typical points of view. Errors occur most freque ntly when the geometrical figure is seen from its non typical viewpoin ts. Particular attention should be paid to this factor in analysing er rors made by subjects.