Data on problem solving collected within the framework of G. Eckblad's cognitive theory of affect (1981) are analyzed with 3-mode principal component analysis. Eight tasks with 6 judgment scales were completed by 32 13-year-old boys. The effectiveness of the TUCKALS principal components analysis method is discussed. (SLD)

In a comparison of cognitive processes and knowledge structures of expert and novice parents, interview data and verbal records were collected during two visits to five expert and seven novice mothers of infants. Results indicate clear differences between experts and novices in goals for the child, parent role, problem solving, and cue recognition…

Discusses specific learning strategy tactics for acquiring verbal knowledge basic to certain disciplines, procedural skills (reading, using language, and problem solving), and self-motivation techniques applicable to all types of learning situations. All three tactics are necessary for creating a well-structured knowledge base. Includes 21…

Ten vignettes depicting either major or minor hypothetical problem situations were presented to 25 young adults with intellectual disability and 14 university students. Participants with intellectual disability tended to make fewer vigilant responses and more defensive avoidance or hypervigilant responses, compared to the university students.…

Discussion of indexing as a problem-solving activity focuses on an experiment that applied theories and methods from cognitive psychology to study interindexer consistency. Eight indexers (four novice and four experts) used two thesauri to index the same four documents. Three kinds of verbal reports were used to assess cognitive processes. (LRW)

Studies the problem-solving processes of seven effective superintendents during regular meetings with senior administrative staff, using a stimulated-recall technique. Results describe superintendents' processes for interpreting problems and setting solution goals. Also described are superintendents' processes for dealing with constraints, the…

Measured aspects of problem solving in adult male psychiatric patients (n=9), who were hospitalized after attempted suicide. Controls (n=15) were patients with chronic idiopathic pain and healthy volunteers. Results indicated there were no differences in problem solving or flexibility, although suicidal patients scored significantly lower on…

Experiments with 251 male and 280 female college students demonstrated that subjects' representations of the water levels in a tilted container could be influenced by problem presentation. Subjects who did not appear to know that water remains horizontal were attempting to solve an object-relative, rather than environment-relative, problem. (SLD)

Cognitive apprenticeship teaches acceptable performance, integration of practical and theoretical knowledge, and understanding specific situations. Five phases are involved: modeling, approximating, fading, self-directed learning, and generalizing. (SK)

Examined the effect of perceived problem-solving ability among teacher trainees (N=60) operationalized by the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) and random feedback (success vs. failure) on participants' attributions. Results indicate a significant PSI x Feedback interaction for ability and effort but not for task difficulty and luck. (RJM)

Investigates whether high school Algebra I students' (n=29) writing about their mathematical problem solving processes showed evidence of a metacognitive framework. Indicates that various metacognitive behaviors were present in students' writings. Describes the more predominant metacognitive behaviors. (Contains 36 references.) (Author/ASK)

Investigated the ontogenesis of oddity learning. Children and adults were tested on two versions of the oddity task using nonverbal procedures. Results suggested that children use different strategies to solve different versions of the oddity task, and in tasks in which stimuli are presented simultaneously, behavior may be controlled by stimulus…

Describes the mathematical processes that occur during problem solving, reasoning, and communication. Provides examples from mathematics education research with preschoolers. (ASK)

Studied patterns of self-explanation that distinguish between good and poor problem solvers. Results with 32 ninth graders identify self-explanation patterns that show that poor problem solvers are more likely to produce clarifications after inferences and good problem solvers are more likely to produce justifications after regulations. (SLD)

This study compared the social problem solving skills of 15 adolescents with Asperger's syndrome with 15 typically developing adolescents. Subjects were presented with videotaped scenarios. The Asperger's group showed deficiencies in recounting pertinent facts, generating possible high-quality problem solutions, and selecting optimal and preferred…