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Strategic use of familiarity in display-based problem solving
S J Payne1, J Richardson, A Howes
1School of Psychology, Cardiff University, United Kingdom. paynes@cardiff.ac.uk
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|February 24, 2001
Summary
When correct computer menu options are forgotten, both familiarity and plausibility guide choices. Participants adaptively reduced reliance on familiarity when it was an unreliable guide for problem-solving.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Decision Making
Background:
- Problem-solving often involves searching through options, such as in computer menu navigation.
- Recognition memory and the perceived plausibility of options can influence decision-making processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay of recognition memory and option plausibility in a display-based problem-solving task.
- To determine how participants utilize familiarity and plausibility when direct recollection fails.
Main Methods:
- Four experiments were conducted using a computer menu search task.
- Participants' choices were analyzed based on option familiarity and plausibility, especially when correct options were not recalled.
Main Results:
- Both option familiarity and plausibility significantly influenced choice selection when recollection failed.
- Participants demonstrated adaptive behavior by decreasing their reliance on familiarity when it was a less accurate predictor of correct choices.
Conclusions:
- Recognition memory (familiarity) and plausibility are critical components of decision-making in problem-solving tasks.
- Findings suggest that cognitive strategies adapt based on the reliability of available cues, impacting learning and problem-solving approaches.