Perceived ability and level of education as predictors of traditional and practical adult problem solving.

Sixty adults (ages 19 to 80) were divided into three age groups. Each individual completed the Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), which assesses an individual's self-perception of problem-solving ability, prior to completing two types of problems, including concept-identification tasks and six everyday, practical problems. When the level of education across the younger, middle-aged, and older adults was controlled, older individuals perceived themselves as better problem solvers, and they were more confident in their problem-solving abilities than the other age groups.

Degrees of specificity in task analysis.

The effects of training identical tasks using three different degrees of task-analysis specificity (long, 28 steps; medium, 14 steps; and short, 7 steps) were assessed. Mildly, moderately, and severely mentally retarded vocational rehabilitation clients were taught to assemble three apparatuses (lawn mower engine, electric drill, carburetor) in a counterbalanced design. The short task analysis resulted in most errors in training, but training time did not differ.

Placement of prompts, length of task, and level of retardation in learning complex assembly tasks.

Vocational rehabilitation clients were divided into two retardation groups (mildly and moderately mentally retarded). Each subject was taught four different assembly tasks (lawn mower engine, bicycle brake, carburetor, and drill), each utilizing one of four different teaching methods (short task--preresponse prompting, long task--preresponse prompting, short task--error-correction prompting, and long task--error-correction prompting). Modeling of correct selection and placement of parts was used either before the subject's response or after an error had been made.

Effects of preference, prompt, and task agreement on the discrimination learning of mentally retarded adults.

Twenty-seven mentally retarded employees of a sheltered workshop were trained on five discrimination tasks (wires, hardware, moldings, capacitors, and fasteners) using five combination of preference, prompt, and task agreement: all agree, preference different, prompt different, tasks different, and all different. The data revealed that when the learners were prompted in the dimension of the target discrimination (a) fewer errors were made, (b) training time was reduced, and (c) fewer training trials were required to reach criterion. Preference for a particular dimension (color, shape, or size, as measured by a screening test) did not significantly affect performance on the discrimination tasks.

Moments of transfer of stimulus control in practical assembly tasks by mentally retarded adults.

Twenty vocational rehabilitation clients, divided into two aptitude groups, were trained to assemble three different 10-part apparatuses (lawn mower engine, electric drill, and bicycle brake) using three progressive prompt delay intervals (1, 3, and 5 seconds). The experimenter modeled selection and placement of each part on Trial 1 (0-second delay). On Trial 2, the modeling prompt was delayed 1, 3, or 5 seconds.