| Abstract: | Cognitive skills are encoded by a set of productions, which is organized according to a hierarchical goal structure. People solve problems in new domains by applying weak problem-solving procedures to declarative knowledge they have about this domain. From these initial problem solutions, production rules are compiled that are specific to that domain and that use of the knowledge. Numerous experimental results may be predicted from this conception of skill organization and skill acquisition. These include predictions about transfer among skills, differential improvement on problem types, effects of working memory limitations, and applications to instruction. The theory implies that all varieties of skill acquisition, including those typically regarded as inductive, conform to this characterization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
