Stimulus complexity effects in visual comparisons: The effects of practice and learning context.

Abstract

This study examined visual comparison performance for 6-24-point random polygon stimuli (Cooper & Podgorny, 1976). Stimulus complexity effects decreased with practice, consistent with Bethell-Fox and Shepard (1988). A difficult discrimination context produced greater complexity effects than an easy discrimination context, consistent with Folk and Luce (1987). The difficult discrimination context also led to more stimulus-specific learning and diminished stimulus complexity effects. Increased stimulus learning resulted in continued skill acquisition, better transfer, and less performance disruption when the task context was equated for all Ss. It is argued that improvements in performance in a perceptual comparison task are not solely a function of the amount of practice provided in responding to particular stimuli. The context in which responses are elicited is equally important and must be accommodated in theories of skill acquisition.

Blueprints for complex learning: The 4C/ID-model

“…Evidence for this claim can be found in research on learning concepts (Corneille & Judd, 1999), verbal information (Pointe & Engle, 1990), mathematics (Wenger & Carlson, 1996), visual comparison tasks (Pellegrino, Doane, Fischer, & Alderton, 1991) and a variety of complex work skills (Ackerman, 1990), among others. Most design models emphasize instruction in relatively simple learning tasks and assume that a large, complex set of interrelated tasks are achievable as "the sum of the parts"-by sequencing a string of simplified, component task procedures until a complex task is captured.…”

Preparing for novelty with diverse training

“…For example, variability in the task's order, in the nature and scheduling of feedback often produce better transfer than consistent conditions (Schmidt & Bjork, 1992, see also Schmidt & Lee, 2005). More evidence for the effects of variability during training comes from Doane and colleages (Doane, Sohn, & Schreiber, 1999;Pellegrino, Doane, Fischer, & Alderton, 1991) for learning to discriminate complex polygons. In that case, transfer performance was better for the more difficult discrimination between similar polygons than for the easier discrimination between distinct polygons.…”

“…It also only holds for tasks where diversity adds to task difficulty, like categorization and visual search, but not for tasks where diversity of stimuli makes the task easier as for same/different judgments (e.g. Ashworth & Dror, 2000;Doane et al, 1999;Pellegrino et al, 1991).…”

The impact of individual differences and learning context on strategic skill acquisition and transfer

“…However, they also postulate that an additional form of skill is acquired that is not tied to the specific stimuli experienced (e.g., Anderson, 1982;Brown & Kane, 1988;Doane, Alderton, Sohn, & Pellegrino, 1996;Doane, Sohn, & Schreiber, 1999;Haider & Frensch, 1996, 1999aPellegrino, Doane, Fischer, & Alderton, 1991;Strayer & Kramer, 1994). These theorists suggest that processing particular stimuli leads to the acquisition of strategic skills that can be transferred to novel stimuli.…”

“…In addition, there is a renewed interest in incorporating strategic skills into theories of skill acquisition and transfer (e.g., Anderson, Fincham, & Douglass, 1997;Carlson & Yaure, 1990;Clawson, Healy, Ericsson, & Bourne, 2001;Brou, Garrison, Doane, Alderton, Sohn, & Cross, submitted for publication;Czerwinski, Lightfoot, & Shiffrin, 1992;Doane et al, 1996Doane et al, , 1999Pellegrino et al, 1991;Schmidt & Bjork, 1992;Speelman & Kirsner, 1997). Research in this area emphasizes both stimulusspecific and strategic aspects of skill acquisition, with a particular emphasis on the impact learning context has on the nature of strategic skills acquired during training and their transfer.…”