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A neglected window on hypothesis testing in adolescence: explicit standard order conditional selection tasks
1La Trobe University, Australia. Peter.Langford@utas.edu.au
Psychological Reports
|March 18, 1999
Summary
Adolescent reasoning strategies shift from factual to hypothetical attitudes, with models-based or rules-based deduction being common. Some adolescents adopt nondeductive strategies, impacting problem-solving approaches.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Conditional selection tasks offer direct insights into reasoning strategies.
- Previous research identified numerous potential rational support-seeking and disproof strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the developmental trajectory of reasoning strategies in adolescents.
- To refine the understanding of strategies used in conditional selection and Piagetian tasks.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments using explicit standard order conditional selection tasks.
- Analysis of strategy shifts from early to late adolescence.
Main Results:
- Plausible strategies were reduced to three main types: models-based deduction, rules-based deduction, and nondeductive strategies.
- Early adolescents primarily used factual attitudes with deductive strategies; late adolescents showed a minority adopting hypothetical attitudes.
Conclusions:
- Adolescent reasoning evolves, with a shift towards hypothetical thinking in some individuals.
- The findings support a flexible model of cognitive development accommodating various reasoning strategies and attitudes.