Abstract
In Experiment 1, mildly depressed (dysphoric) and nondysphoric subjects tried to solve logic problems that were analogous to subsequent target problems; then they attempted target solutions with or without hints in the form of the anologues’ themes. Target solutions were impaired by the hints in the nondysphoric group alone. Experiment 2A was a no-training control to verify that transfer did indeed occur. In Experiment 2B, all subjects received hints in the transfer phase; the training phase was either problem oriented (as in Experiment 1) or memory oriented. Again, nondysphoric subjects solved fewer problems following problem-oriented training than did both dysphoric subjects in that condition and nondysphoric subjects with memory-oriented training. Experiment 3 replicated the previous results in the nondysphoric samples. We interpret these findings within the transferappropriate processing framework.
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A portion of Experiment 1 was conducted by the second author in partial fulfillment of Honors in Psychology. Experiment 2B was partly supported by the Hogg Foundation for Mental Health; manuscript preparation was supported by a Trinity University Summer Stipend to the first author.
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Hertel, P.T., Knoedler, A.J. Solving problems by analogy: The benefits and detriments of hints and depressed moods. Memory & Cognition 24, 16–25 (1996). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197269
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03197269