Abstract
The effects of introtact probes on the discrimination performance of kindergarten children were assessed in simultaneous discrimination tasks having size as the relevant dimension and both color and form as irrelevant dimensions varying within settings. With size as the relevant dimension, all of the children were trained against their initially preferred dimension (either color or form). Verbal hypotheses concerning the solution to the task (introtacts) were obtained prior to each choice response for half of the children. The children in the introtact condition performed more poorly than did those not required to give introtacts. The use of introtacts appeared to fixate the children’s attention on the dimension named in their first introtact. The implications of the results for studies of hypothesis testing in young children are discussed.
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This research was supported in part by Grant BMS7S-04334 from the National Science Foundation. Funds for the purchase of computer time were made available by the Graduate College of the University of Iowa. The authors are indebted to Richard Guemmer and Kevin Kliefoth for assistance in data collection. Deep appreciation is expressed to David L. Cronin and Don Benda of the Iowa City Community School System and to James Bayne and Eugene H. Holthaus of the College Community School System for permission to test the children. We are also grateful to the teachers and other staff members at Horn School in Iowa City and at Prairie Elementary School in Cedar Rapids for their excellent cooperation.
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Cantor, J.H., Spiker, C.C. Dimensional fixation with introtacts in kindergarten children. Bull. Psychon. Soc. 10, 169–171 (1977). https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329313
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.3758/BF03329313