Problem-solving Strategies of Reflective, Impulsive, Fast-accurate, and Slow-inaccurate Children

AULT, RUTH L. Problem-solving Strategies of Reflective, Impulsive, Fast-accurate, and Slowinaccurate Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1973, 44, 259-266. First-, third-, and fifth-grade Ss classified as impulsive on the Matching Familiar Figures test asked questions in a 20-questions game indicative of less mature cognitive strategies than Ss classified as reflective and fastaccurate. Younger reflective Ss achieved scores on the 20-questions game equivalent to those of older impulsive Ss, indicating equivalence on this cognitive development measure. Ordering the array aided the production of constraint-seeking questions for first and third graders, but not for fifth graders. Reflective and impulsive Ss were not differentially responsive to this manipulation, and no groups were aided by removing pictures from the array. The data suggest that Ss in the same grade seek equally efficient information and appear to respond appropriately to information acquired in the 20-questions game.