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Negative instances and the acquisition of the mathematical concepts of commutativity and associativity

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Abstract

The effects of negative instances in the acquisition of the mathematical concepts of commutativity and associativity were examined. Two treatment levels for commutativity (positive instances or positive and negative instances) and the same treatment levels for associativity were crossed to form a 2 × 2 factorial design with 21 subjects per cell. Subjects were undergraduate elementary education majors. Criterion variables were number of correct responses, stimulus intervals, and postfeedback intervals. Results supported the contention that negative instances enhance concept acquisition but also appear to require more time during treatments. No evidence for a transfer effect for negative instances from one concept to another was found.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Ohio State University, USA

    Richard J. Shumway

  2. Indiana University, USA

    Frank K. Lester

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  1. Richard J. Shumway
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  2. Frank K. Lester
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Shumway, R.J., Lester, F.K. Negative instances and the acquisition of the mathematical concepts of commutativity and associativity. Educ Stud Math 5, 301–315 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01424552

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