Biomedical subjects

Catherine Thevenot

Publications and source records attributed to Catherine Thevenot.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Why does placing the question before an arithmetic word problem improve performance? A situation model account.

The aim of this paper is to investigate the controversial issue of the nature of the representation constructed by individuals to solve arithmetic word problems. More precisely, we consider the relevance of two different theories: the situation or mental model theory (Johnson-Laird, 1983; Reusser, 1989) and the schema theory (Kintsch & Greeno, 1985; Riley, Greeno, & Heller, 1983). Fourth-graders who differed in their mathematical skills were presented with problems that varied in difficulty and with the question either before or after the text. We obtained the classic effect of the position of the question, with better performance when the question was presented prior to the text. In addition, this effect was more marked in the case of children who had poorer mathematical skills and in the case of more difficult problems. We argue that this pattern of results is compatible only with the situation or mental model theory, and not with the schema theory.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2006

Encoding numbers: behavioral evidence for processing-specific representations.

The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis of a complex encoding of numbers according to which each numerical processing requires a specific representational format for input In three experiments, adult participants were given two numbers presented successively on screen through a self-presentation procedure after being asked to add, to subtract, or to compare them. We considered the self-presentation time of the first number as reflecting the complexity of the encoding for a given planned processing. In line with Dehaene's triple-code model, self-presentation times were longer for additions and subtractions than for comparisons with two-digit numbers but longer for subtractions than for additions and comparisons with one-digit numbers. The implications of these results for different theories of number processing are discussed.

Cognition↗

PubMed2005

The strategic use of alternative representations in arithmetic word problem solving.

Multiple-step arithmetic problems can be solved by diverse strategies depending on the mental representation constructed by individuals from the situation described in the text of the problem. This representation will indeed determine the organization of sub-goals to be reached or in other words the order of completion of calculations. This study aims at determining the conditions under which specific strategies are set up by adults. Using a paradigm that allows us to assess when calculations are performed, we show that adults usually organize their sub-goals as they are explicitly mentioned in the problem, even though a strategy that is less demanding on working memory could have been used. However, we show that increasing the difficulty of the problem leads individuals to set up more economic strategies. Moreover, these economic strategies are even more likely to be used when the cognitive cost of the construction of the representation they rely on is low.

Adult↗