{"title":"Looking beyond students' exploration and learning strategies: The role of test-taking effort in complex problem-solving","authors":"Róbert Csányi , Gyöngyvér Molnár","doi":"10.1016/j.intell.2025.101907","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The aim of this study was to investigate the role of test-taking effort in knowledge acquisition via problem exploration behaviour used in complex problem-solving (CPS) environments. The sample consisted of undergraduate students just starting their university studies (<em>n</em> = 1748). MicroDYN-based tasks with different levels of complexity were administered via the eDia online platform. Students' exploration behaviour was coded based on the VOTAT (vary-one-thing-at-a-time) strategy, and latent class analysis was used to identify students' behavioural and learning profiles. We identified four profiles: rapid learners, non-performers, proficient explorers and ineffective learners. Students' test-taking effort was measured based on the time they spent on the tasks. Results suggest a strong relation between VOTAT strategy use and test-taking effort. Rapid learners and proficient explorers displayed the greatest test-taking effort, followed by ineffective learners and non-performers. The results provide a new interpretation of previous analyses of the knowledge acquisition phase in CPS.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":13862,"journal":{"name":"Intelligence","volume":"109 ","pages":"Article 101907"},"PeriodicalIF":3.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Intelligence","FirstCategoryId":"102","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160289625000108","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of test-taking effort in knowledge acquisition via problem exploration behaviour used in complex problem-solving (CPS) environments. The sample consisted of undergraduate students just starting their university studies (n = 1748). MicroDYN-based tasks with different levels of complexity were administered via the eDia online platform. Students' exploration behaviour was coded based on the VOTAT (vary-one-thing-at-a-time) strategy, and latent class analysis was used to identify students' behavioural and learning profiles. We identified four profiles: rapid learners, non-performers, proficient explorers and ineffective learners. Students' test-taking effort was measured based on the time they spent on the tasks. Results suggest a strong relation between VOTAT strategy use and test-taking effort. Rapid learners and proficient explorers displayed the greatest test-taking effort, followed by ineffective learners and non-performers. The results provide a new interpretation of previous analyses of the knowledge acquisition phase in CPS.
期刊介绍:
This unique journal in psychology is devoted to publishing original research and theoretical studies and review papers that substantially contribute to the understanding of intelligence. It provides a new source of significant papers in psychometrics, tests and measurement, and all other empirical and theoretical studies in intelligence and mental retardation.