Acquisition and Performance of a Problem-Solving Skill

Abstract

The acquisition of skill in the performance of a three-phase code transformation task (3P-COTRAN) was studied with 20 Ss who solved 27 3P-COTRAN problems during each of 8 successive sessions. Factor analyses led to the identification of 5 factors that were invariant across the 8 sessions and identical to those identified in previous studies (Alluisi & Coates, 1969; Coates & Alluisi, 1971). Analyses of variance of 9 selected measures indicated that performance was significantly affected by practice; improvements in speed continued even after accuracy had reached asymptotic levels. Although transformation complexity had no effect on early performances, the 3- and 4-element transformations were solved more quickly than the 5-element in the problem-solving Phase III of later skilled performances.