RESPONSE PATTERNS AND STRATEGIES IN THE DYNAMICS OF CONCEPT ATTAINMENT BEHAVIOUR
Rivka R. Eifermann · British Journal of Psychology · 1965
Following Bruner, Goodnow & Austin an analysis of subjects' response patterns in conjunctive concept attainment was undertaken. The analysis was based, in addition to the card choices used in previous experiments, on subjects' verbal reports about each of their choices. The aim was to trace the dynamics of concept attainment behaviour and determine how systematic and consistent response patterns become over a series of problems. It was found, first, that there exists a positive correlation between the ability to justify one's card‐selection verbally and efficiently in concept attainment. Secondly, a majority of subjects became systematic in their response pattern after being exposed to a few problems of the same type. Thirdly, a good number of subjects, after having attained systematic response patterns became unsystematic again for a shorter or longer run. The theoretical concepts of holistic and elementaristic strategies are disdinguished from the observational ones of component‐centred and concept‐centred strategies.