Document Detail


Experience and problem representation in statistics.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  18792717     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
This research investigated experience level differences in problem representation in statistics. A triad judgment task was designed so that source problems shared either surface similarity (story narrative) or structural (inferential level) features (t test, correlation, or chi-square) with the target problem. Graduate students with varying levels of experience in statistics were asked to choose which source problem "goes best" with the target problem for each triad. Given a choice between a problem that shares surface-level characteristics and one that shares inferential-level characteristics, students who had taken 0 to 4 courses in statistics tended to represent problems on the basis of surface-level features. Students who had more than 4 courses did not consistently make choices on the basis of surface-level features, nor did they consistently rely on structural features. However, all students with statistics course backgrounds noticed structural features when competition between different types of features was eliminated. The role of surface and structural features in determining problem representations is discussed.
Authors:
Mitchell Rabinowitz; Tracy M Hogan
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The American journal of psychology     Volume:  121     ISSN:  0002-9556     ISO Abbreviation:  Am J Psychol     Publication Date:  2008  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2008-09-16     Completed Date:  2008-12-03     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0370513     Medline TA:  Am J Psychol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  395-407     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Fordham University, Graduate School of Education, New York, NY 10023, USA. mrabinowitz@fordham.edu
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Choice Behavior*
Cognition
Decision Making
Educational Status
Humans
Judgment*
Problem Solving*
Research Design
Statistics as Topic / education,  methods*
Students / psychology
Task Performance and Analysis
Teaching
Vocational Education

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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