Effects of Focusing Training on Hypothesis Testing in Concrete Operational Children

Abstract

Recent attempts to account for the development of problem solving strategies in discrimination learning tasks have culminated in a theoretical synthesis proposed by Gholson and Beilin (1979). Their developmental model for human learning combines a qualitatively changing central processor with subprocesses such as directed attention and memory that control information flow. Predictions from the theory suggest that strategic systems are directly related to Piagetian stage levels and that focusing, in particular, cannot be manifested until the child is operating formally. The present authors suggested that late concrete operational children, possessing class inclusion skills, were competent to produce focusing because of the nature of the task, and that they would manifest focusing following training. Early and late concrete operational children were identified, and half of each group was trained to focus. The results indicated that focusing was manifested by the late concrete operational children but independently of the training. Both the amount of negative feedback and the nature of the probe techniques affected the manifestation of focusing. These results are discussed with reference to the Gholson-Beilin theory and to their methodological implications.