Cognitive Load, Schema Acquisition, and Procedural Adaptation in Nonisomorphic Analogical Transfer

Cognitive load theory was explored in three conditions among 96 3rd graders in nonisomorphic transfer. In one condition, both goal attainment and problem-space exploration were emphasized on each acquisition trial. In a 2nd condition, problem-space exploration was emphasized, whereas goal attainment was not. In a 3rd condition, goal attainment was emphasized, but the problem space was explored only until an error occurred on each trial. All children solved 2 analogues of the missionaries/cannibals problem and transferred to an analogue of the jealous husbands problem. Children in the 2nd condition made fewer errors and required less time than the other groups on the 1st move in transfer, which is taken to reflect the quality of the base attained during acquisition. On later moves, children in Conditions 1 and 2 outperformed those in Condition 3. Thus, children in the first two conditions were better able to adjust the base to the target.