Following on previous studies which explored problem‐solving in terms of availability of functions, the present experiment considered whether the necessary past experiences for the solution of a problem can be conveyed to subjects by demonstrating to them the functions found to be critical for the solution. The ‘ball problem’ was given to sixty‐five 17‐year‐old school boys. The two critical functions were demonstrated beforehand to twenty boys of whom nineteen solved the problem within the 30 min. allowed. Of the forty‐five boys given no such demonstration only ten attained solution. These results support the conclusion drawn from earlier experiments that a subject will solve a problem if he has the necessary functions available. They also support the more general contention that a fundamental aspect of problem‐solving is uncovered by considering the process in terms of the functions of concrete objects. The results are related to a number of experiments on the effect of hints at demonstration on problem solving.
Saugstad et al. (Sun,) studied this question.
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