Feedback Support Requirements for Learning a Cognitive Task: The Role of Cognitive Resources and Task Complexity.

Abstract

The amount of feedback required to learn a new task has been investigated for decades with mixed results (cf. Schmidt & Bjork, 1992; Van Merrienboer & Sweller, 2005). One possible explanation is the learner’s cognitive resources and demands imposed by the task may determine feedback requirements (McLaughlin, Rogers, & Fisk, 2006). To test this model, a study was conducted that accounted for the learner’s cognitive resources by comparing samples of populations with known differences, older and younger adults (Horn & Cattell, 1967; Salthouse & Babcock, 1991). To account for task demands, a simple rulebased cue learning task was created. The task required participants to learn how to identify fake Windows popups using two different cues, a visual cue and a verbal cue. Participants used different cognitive abilities to identify the cues. The visual cue required the use of fluid abilities while the verbal cue drew from participants’ crystallized intelligence. Varying levels of feedback support were provided throughout the learning process. Results indicated younger adults benefited from increased feedback support, while older adults benefited from increased feedback support with the visual cue, but decreased feedback support with the verbal cue. One explanation for the current findings is specific cognitive abilities of the learner influence the demands of the task and thus influences feedback support requirements.