SOME TESTS OF AN IDENTICAL ELEMENTS MODEL OF BASIC ARITHMETIC SKILLS

: Two experiments tested an identical elements model of the organization of basic arithmetic skills (T. C. Rickard, A. F. Healy, & L. E. Bourne, 1994). This model assumes a distinct abstract representation for each unique combination of the basic elements (i.e., the operands and the required operation) of a problem. Participants practiced multiplication and division problems and were then tested on various altered versions of these problems. Experiment 1 confirmed the prediction of no positive transfer when the presented elements of a test problem do not exactly match those of a practice problem. Experiment 2 confirmed the prediction that there is complete transfer when the elements of the test problem match exactly with those of a practice problem. Experiment 2 also confirmed that there is both perceptually specific and nonspecific speed-up with practice. Implications for number processing and arithmetic are discussed.