Level of Difficulty and Consistency of Performance in Anagram Solving

Abstract

Changing the levels of difficulty of anagrams and/or the requirement that solutions be verbalized affected the level of performance. Ss improved with practice, women being superior to men. Consistency of performance under these circumstances needs further study.

Current status of research and theory in human problem solving.

“…These experiments, together with the facilitating effects of time pressure upon anagram problem solving found by Nance and Sinnot (1964), improved anagram performance under hot and humid working conditions found by Fine, Cohen, and Crist (1960), and the lack of effect of noise stress on anagram problem solving with schizophrenic subjects (Cowden, 1962), seem to suggest that thinking by the adaptable human organism is not particularly disturbed by at least minor stresses and distractions. Klausmeier and Loughlin (1961) used arithmetic problems in which 11-year olds were given actual coins and bills and were required to, for example, make $9.77 using 12 bills and coins.…”

“…On the topic of stress, Fine, Cohen, and Crist (1960), investigating the effects of climatic conditions upon "complex mental performance" in the form of anagram problems, found the marginally best performance after 6.5 hours in the most hot and humid experimental condition. Also, Nance and Sinnot (1964) found that adding time pressure improved anagram solving considerably. Nance and Sinnot also concluded that practice in solving anagrams did not reduce solution times, but did reduce variability; and that requiring overt verbalization slowed performance on hard anagrams but speeded performance on easy problems (Nance & Sinnot, 1963).…”