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ISSN : 1226-9654

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Vol.19 No.2

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Effects of Knowledge and Context Information on the Interpretation and the Use of Graphs as shown by the Mathematics and Economics Major

The Korean Journal of Cognitive and Biological Psychology / The Korean Journal of Cognitive and Biological Psychology, (P)1226-9654; (E)2733-466X
2007, v.19 no.2, pp.149-169
https://doi.org/10.22172/cogbio.2007.19.2.004


& (2007). Effects of Knowledge and Context Information on the Interpretation and the Use of Graphs as shown by the Mathematics and Economics Major. The Korean Journal of Cognitive and Biological Psychology, 19(2), 149-169, https://doi.org/10.22172/cogbio.2007.19.2.004

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of knowledge on the interpretation of graphs and the use of information in the graphs. The effects of knowledge on the interpretation of graphs were explored in Experiment 1. In Experiment 1, three groups of undergraduate students (control, economics major, mathematics major) were given graphs of two areas (economics, mathematics) and were asked to choose the most appropriate interpretation of each graph among four alternatives. In the Context condition, where the legends of the graphs and some background information was given with the graphs so that participant's major would not exert any influence on the interpretation of the graphs, control group and economic major students chose the interpretation that matches the context. Whereas in the No-Context condition, where only the graphs were given, participants chose the interpretation that is in accord with their major. In Experiment 2, two groups of participants (economics major, mathematics major) were asked to calculate the answers to three economics problems. Two equations were given in each problem as hints. In the Ambiguous condition, where the two equations were eligible for the problem, both economics major and mathematics chose either equation equally often. However, in the Determinate condition, where only one of the two equations was eligible for the problem, only economics major students used the right equation more often. The results of the two experiments showed that the effect of knowledge is constrained by the task at hand and the information given by the context. That is, the effect of knowledge seemed to exert influence when the problem needs relevance judgment or when there is not enough information in the graphs.

keywords
전공, 그래프 이해, 추상화, 비대칭적 영역간 전이, expertise, graph, asymmetrical transfer

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