Encounter with Information in Selection Paradigm as a Function of Number of Relevant Dimensions

Abstract

Recent studies of the effect of the number of relevant dimensions upon concept attainment in the selection paradigm have not considered the amount of information encountered by Ss in their selections. The present study introduces several modifications in traditional procedure to allow for the measurement of this variable. Male college students attained unidimensional and conjunctive concepts with a 6-dimension 2-value array. Ss encountered information more rapidly the fewer the number of dimensions relevant to the concept. However, no significant difference was obtained with regard to the attainment of the concept itself.