Specific versus General Instructions: Initial Performance and Later Transfer

Abstract

Two experiments demonstrated that people who receive specific instructions (SI subjects) for using a word processor are able to accomplish initial tasks more quickly than people who receive more general instructions (GI subjects). Experiment 1 found, however, that SI subjects were unable to do a novel transfer task unless they received hints while GI subjects had no trouble with the transfer task. A production rule analysis was used to guide a revision of the specific instructions so that those instructions promoted generalization. Experiment 2 used these revised specific instructions and found that SI subjects were now able to do a novel transfer task about as well as GI subjects. These results suggest that a production system is a useful tool for analyzing instructions and predicting user performance and that specific instructions designed to promote generalization may be the most effective type of instructions.