Counterfactual Problem Solving and Situated Cognition

Glebkin V.V.; Kovtunenko A.Ye.; Krysova Ye.A.

doi:10.17759/chp.2017130205

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Cultural-Historical Psychology

Publisher: Moscow State University of Psychology and Education

ISSN (printed version): 1816-5435

ISSN (online): 2224-8935

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/chp

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published since 2005

Published quarterly

Free of fees
Open Access Journal

Affiliated ISCAR

RU In Russian

Cultural-Historical Psychology
2017. Vol. 13, no. 2, 41–49
doi:10.17759/chp.2017130205
ISSN: 1816-5435 / 2224-8935 (online)

Counterfactual Problem Solving and Situated Cognition ¹⁰²⁴

Glebkin V.V.
PhD in Philosophy, Associate Professor, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: gleb1514@gmail.com

Kovtunenko A.Ye.
Student, Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: sanyka390@yandex.ru

Krysova Ye.A.
Student, Gymnasium #1514, Moscow, Russia
e-mail: katerina_a_a@mail.ru

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Online translation in english

The paper describes and interprets data of a study on counterfactual problem solving in representatives of modern industrial culture. The study was inspired by similar experiments carried out by A.R. Luria during his expedition to Central Asia. The hypothesis of our study was that representatives of modern industrial culture would solve counterfactual puzzles at a slower rate and with higher numbers of mistakes than similar non-counterfactual tasks. The experiments we conducted supported this hypothesis as well as provided us with some insights as to how to further develop it. For instance, we found no significant differences in time lag in solving counterfactual and ‘realistic’ tasks between the subjects with mathematical and the ones with liberal arts education. As an interpretation of the obtained data, we suggest a two-stage model of counterfactual problem solving: on the first stage, where situated cognition dominates, the realistic situation is transferred into the system of symbols unrelated to this very situation; on the second stage, operations are carried out within the framework of this new system of symbols.

Keywords: counterfactual tasks, situated cognition, two-stage model

Column: Empirical Research

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/chp.2017130205

For Reference

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