On the potential value and limitations of emphasis change and other exploration-enhancing training methods

Two experiments are presented that examine the efficiency of training methods that force trainees to explore the possible strategy space. Both experiments used a 2-dimensional search task. Experiment 1 studies a method that enforces exploration by preventing repetitions within short sequences. It shows that the effect of this "enhanced exploration" method in the abstract setting is similar to the effect of "emphasis change" training (see D. Gopher, 1993) in high cognitive workload tasks. This finding appeared only in strategic spaces where intuitive exploration converges to a local optimum. Experiment 2 compares the effect of exploration enhancement with the effect of guided instruction. The results of the experiments, which are captured well by a generalization of I. Erev and D. A. Gopher's (1999) model of the conditions for the success of emphasis change training, shed light on the limitations and potential of exploration-enhancing training methods.