Single- vs Multiple-Problem Training in Subsequent Discrimination Learning

Abstract

36 Grade 2 and 3 students were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups receiving single-problem training, multiple-problem training, or no training with intervening, pretest, and posttest exposure to selected plates of the Columbia Mental Maturity Scale. It was hypothesized that type of problem-solving training would influence subsequent ability to solve a novel problem-solving task with multiple training resulting in the greatest positive transfer. An analysis of variance applied to the number of successful choices indicated that the effects of groups and Group × Sex were significant. Further, orthogonal comparisons indicated that the combined mean for the groups receiving single- and multiple-problem training was significantly larger than the mean score for the control group and that the mean of the group receiving multiple-problem training differed significantly from the mean of the group receiving single-problem training.